The Two Souls: Flowing Water
by The 2nd Avatar
Summary: If the world were to be thrown into chaos, two must be born to keep stability. They will grow together, two yet one. But differences will tear them apart, for destiny has planned one of their downfall by the hands of the other. And the one that survives shall keep balance as the only Avatar. The chosen one of two. The trailer to this story is on my profile.
1. Chapter 1: The ones in the Iceberg

**This story is going to be pretty long. In fact, it's going to have one chapter for every episode of the A:TLA. Hope you enjoy!**

**Legal Notice: If I owned this, wouldn't this have happened in the first place?**

Book one: Fire

Chapter 1: The ones in the Iceberg

Water. Earth. Fire. Air.

My grandmother use to tell me stories about the old days. A time of peace, when the Avatar kept balance among the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. But that all changed when a second Avatar was born—an unreadable omen that the Fire nation would attack. For though trouble was foretold, it was impossible to tell why.

They say that no Avatar is perfect. So to keep balance in the world, even at the demise of the Avatar, a second would be born if chaos loomed on the horizon.

Only the Avatars mastered all four elements; only they could stop the ruthless Firebenders. But when the world needed them most, they vanished.

A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father, and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe.

Some people believed that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads, and that the cycle is broken. But I believe differently, because before they disappeared, the second Avatar was born into the Southern Water Tribe. I haven't lost hope; I still believe that somehow the Avatars will return to save the world.

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"For the last time Uncle, I don't need calming tea!" Zuko roared. "I need that Water Tribe peasant to start talking!" His eyes were lit on fire, rage contorting his face unpleasantly.

"If you send rats into the vipers nest you can not hope for results, Prince Zuko." General Iroh stated, keeping his eyes angled at the game he played alone. His nephew was strong headed, but even he should be able to see that this girl was more than an idiotic savage that the Fire Nation had stated she was through years of propoganda.

Zuko hoped that she would crack like a leechee nut, but Iroh knew otherwise. Anything this girl said was a slow oozing venom, and from the way the crew men acted, she had already bit into the skin. "What are you suggesting I do, Uncle?" his nephew barked, pacing furiously.

"Send her a worthy adversary."

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As the two Water Tribe siblings stood staring at the glaring light, two figures arose from the ice. One was a boy, with glowing arrows tattooed on his body, gusts of wind whipping his clothes about. The other was a girl, hair gleaming with a copper like hue. Both of their eyes glimmered with the same radiance.

As the luminosity faded, both tumbled off the edge of the ice, causing both Water Tribe members to leap forward. Each lowered the person in their arms gently to the snow. Sokka, the brother, had caught the girl, while he noticed his sister Katara, was left to catch the boy.

Sokka was able to glimpse the mysterious girl in his arms before she opened her pale blue eyes. Her thick mahogany locks with thin twin braids in the front, pale cocoa skin, and blue and violet clothes marked her as Water Tribe. Southern Water Tribe, to be exact. But neither he nor his sister had ever seen this person before. She seemed to be older than the boy by at least three years. Fifteen, perhaps?

And as her gaze settled slowly on the boy gazing at her, he felt panic ease from her muscles. He didn't know who she was, but from the way the nip of cold air on her cheeks only slightly reddened her skin, and the thick parka she wore, he knew she belonged here. With a small smile, she put a hand on his chest, and pushed him back on his butt.

He looked at her dumbfounded, "You were a little too close." She said with a grin.

"Katara!" he shouted, "It's alive!"

"Really, Sokka?" his sister said annoyed.

"Kana, is that you?"

"Aang?" Slowly getting to her feet, Sokka watched as 'Kana' pulled 'Aang' into a hug, "Aang, I'm so glad you're okay."

A large rumble sounded, making the two look at each other and smirk. Together they scrambled over the ice leaving the Water Tribe siblings staring after them, dumbfounded. The two siblings peeked at each other, mouths slightly agape, before running around the hollowed glacier. Sokka let out a yelp of surprise, jumping in front of his sister when they came face to face with a giant beast... that was trying to eat the twelve-year-old boy!

"What is that thing?" Sokka hollered towards the still savable girl.

"This is Appa, my flying Bison," the twelve year old laughed, falling from the monsters tongue, the buffalo blowing a large puff of air in his face.

"Right," Sokka said, unable to stop from rolling his eyes. "And this is Katara, my flying sister."

"What's it doing in the ice, what were you two doing in the ice? And why aren't you frozen?" Katara blurted, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, as she inched closer, her brother stopping her from getting actually approaching the two. The questions sobered the two freed captives until they shared a shrug.

"We have no idea, all I can remember is water, and a lot of it." Kana said with furrowed brows, before smiling at the still-flustered boy, brushing it off. Sokka felt his cheeks redden, and he knew she saw it. This seemed to only make it worse; almost as if the thought of a girl knowing he wasn't smiled at all the time, was embarrassing.

"So do you guys live around here?" Aang asked the two Water Tribe members, changing the subject.

"Don't answer that!" Sokka commanded his sister, snapping to attention. "Did you see that bolt of light? They were probably trying to signal the Fire Navy!" he growled accusingly, pointing his spear at the boy.

"Oh, yeah," Katara snorted. "I'm sure they're spies for the Fire Navy. You can tell by that evil look in their eyes." The boy smiled at that, but Kana just cocked her head quizzically to the side. Almost as if she were missing something in this conversation.

"The paranoid one is my brother, Sokka," Katara said, looking at said sibling.

Aang grinned and opened his mouth, but before he could get any words out, a massive sneeze escaped. He flew upward, the burst of wind making Kana's hair fly every which way. He slid down the ice and landed gracefully on his feet. "I'm Aang, and that's Kana!" he said, motioning over to his friend.

"You just sneezed... And flew ten feet in the air!" Sokka exclaimed, mouth drooping open. Again.

"Really? It felt higher than that. In fact, I'm pretty sure I beat my record!" Aang said with a goofy smile.

"Aang's full of hot air, that's how he can get so high," Kana laughed, placing a hand on his head making him chuckle with her, his cheeks turning a light pink.

Katara's eyes grew wide. "You're an Airbender!" she shrieked, excitement clearly rushing over her.

"Giant light beam, flying bison, Airbenders—I think I have midnight sun madness. I'm going home to where things make sense," Sokka grumbled, walking to the edge of the ice floe they were on. He looked out at the endless water and his entire body sagged.

"Hey," Kana offered, "if you guys are stuck, maybe we could give you a lift on Appa."

"That's a great idea!" both Aang and Katara yelled in unison, making Sokka scowl. It figured his sister would be willing to go so easily, she was much to trusting! He watched the 'Airbender' let out a burst of air, and fly carefully over the bison's head, grabbing the reins. Katara simply crawled up the lying beast as Sokka began to protest.

"I am not getting on that snot filled monster!"

"Would you rather some other monster come and offer you a ride home, you know, after you freeze to death?" his sister asked, sarcasm dripping from her voice. Sokka raised his finger to object again, but stopped short. Letting out a grumble, he sulked his way onto the sky Bison. Kana offered her hand from the saddle, and he reluctantly took it, allowing himself to be pulled up.

"Appa, yip yip!" Aang called out, yet the only thing that happened was the fluffy monster leaping twenty feet in the air, and belly flopping the freezing water.

"Wow, that was truly amazing," Sokka said, rolling his eyes, making Katara glare back at him.

"Appa's just tired. He just needs some rest and he'll be flying in no time. Being stuck in ice takes a toll," Kana said, petting the fluffy creature's gigantic head. Something felt off, but these two people seemed nice enough. Besides, they'd be no match for her, or Aang.

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The sun was resting on the horizon, and out at sea his iron warship sailed. In the bowels of the boat Prince Zuko stood proudly outside of his captives holding cell. His uncle had suggested one with no bars as she was, of course, a rather special "guest". That word didn't even cover what she was, a Waterbender from the South Pole, there weren't suppose to be anymore of them. "I'm going in now, open the door." he commanded grimly, the soldier stationed gaurd bowing low before doing as commanded.

He walked in slowly, the sound of a metal lock quickly following him. "Prince Zuko," a smooth voice purred, icy eyes peering at him, as if stripping away skin and bone to find the most intimate of secrets. The girls lips pulled up into a ferocious smile at his hesitation, causing his fingers to curl into a fist. "It's a pleasure to see you again, I never had the chance to tell your uncle thank you for his hospitality when I joined your little crew."

"You aren't part of my crew," Zuko snapped harshly, "you're a prisoner and a tool to get want I want."

"Is that how your father taught you to talk to a lady?" the girl clucked, shaking her head. "I'm sure he'd be very disappointed."

Something hot poked into Zuko's chest, and he recognized it almost immediately as rage. He let out a tearse breath, his uncle had warned him that showing an excess amount of emotion would be a horrible mistake. One that he couldn't afford. "My father taught me to never show mercy to prisoners, you should consider yourself lucky my uncle convinced me otherwise."

"Oh?" she asked, gliding to her feet, the shackles on her ankles barely making any sound. "And what would you have done otherwise?"

"You don't want to know." he growled, but instead of backing away, she moved forward, a smirk on her lips.

"I think the words that you're looking for are: _I don't know_."

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Aang was a hard sleeper. He didn't even notice when he was taken into a tent to sleep peacefully. Kana, however, was used to the sun being up, or down at odd times. Her sleeping pattern hadn't been disrupted at all, so she woke at the same time as the other Water Tribe members.

After being introduced, the tribe seemed to be incredibly kind. Especially since there were only women; who enjoyed an extra pair of willing hands to help with the chores. Not to mention, she knew they thought she was a delightful source of company.

It was like she had been a part of this place her entire life, which in retrospect, she kind of was, she just hadn't lived at this _specific_ village. It was nice, and she found out why Sokka was strange around her. There were no girls his age around, or men for that matter. When she asked, people looked at her strangely and simply stated they were at the Earth Kingdom. She felt it best not to push for more information.

So Kana let this brush off her, and with the Tribe as they gathered to meet Aang. Sokka made a remark about his glider, and Aang jumped up into the air and flew around... And right into Sokka's watchtower.

"I bet you're tired of always being wrong," Kana said, sidling up to Sokka with a smirk. He jumped, surprised to hear a voice, and turned around.

"I'm not always wrong, I'm just a pessimist!" he said with a half glare, half scowl.

"Well... You know what they say about pessimists. They always win." Kana laughed, before Gran-Gran pulled her away, but she still caught Sokka's blush. She felt so content. Even though this wasn't her village, it sure felt like it.

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"So, how did it go?" Iroh asked when his nephew left the prisoners quarters.

"She's different then what my father told me Water Tribe people were like, she's like a wolf waiting for the kill." Zuko growled, "I don't know if I gave her any leverage, I was so concerned about keeping my head, I could have let anything slip."

"Do not worry Prince Zuko, from what I hear, if she had gotten any whiff of a weakness she would have sent you running tail between your legs." the old man chuckled, "And no one would blame you, those eyes are quite good at getting under your skin."

Zuko just grunted. "I don't know what I'm suppose to do," he hissed underneath his breath so none of his men would over hear him, "I'm not trained in interrogation."

"None of the men are," Iroh stated, "which means you're just going to have to improvise as you go along."

"And how am I suppose to do that?" Zuko snapped back.

"It seems as if you'll just have to wear her down, we all make mistakes sooner or later." the old man chuckled, "and if all else fails, just make her angry."

"That girl doesn't seem like the kind of person to easily get upset, Uncle." Zuko drawled sarcastically.

"Just say you don't like her hair, that always worked when I wanted to upset a girl." Iroh bellowed merily, clutching his stomach.

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"War? What war?" Kana asked, peering at Sokka with a confused look on her face.

"You're kidding, right?" he asked back incredulously. Kana opened her mouth to explain that she wasn't, but at that moment, a black and white bird waddled into sight.

"Penguin!" Aang shouted with glee, sprinting at a breakneck speed to catch the bird. Katara laughed and followed after him. Kana was surprised that the other girl followed the young boy. Kana herself usually never went on little trips with him, they were good friends, but a total of three years separated them. And at the young age of fifteen and twelve, that was a pretty large gap. Only one thing held them together, but Kana still couldn't shake what Sokka had said. She placed a hand on his arm. He jumped, but she only held on tighter.

"What war?"

The Water Tribe hunter's eyes widened into saucers with a sudden realization. "How do you not know about it? Wait… how long were you in that ice, Kana?"

"I only remember getting out, not how long I was in there." She said, a feeling of dread filling her stomach.

Pity rested over Sokka's features, and he took the blue-eyed girl by the shoulders. "Kana... There's a war that's been going on for a hundred years. I think you don't know about it, because it happened after you were frozen in the ice."

The ground seemed to fall out from under her. Slapping away his hands, Kana stumbled back numbly, crashing into a snow wall. "That's not possible," she whispered, sliding down to cradle her head between her knees. "I wasn't in there for a hundred years!" she screamed, shaking her head furiously, the ice splitting violently all around them.

Sokka knelt down next to her, carefully placing a hand on her shoulder. But how could he even think about losing everyone, to be completely oblivious about everything. The first time to see your home in a hundred years, and it's all but destroyed...

Kana looked up at the Water Tribe boy, and felt her face crumple. She was about to holler at him to leave her alone, but before she could open her mouth, a burst of light went off. She took the chance to forget what she had just been told, and stood in surprise. "What was that?"

"A Fire Nation flare!"

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When Zuko walked into the girls - apparently her name was Kana - cell, her head was bowed over a platter of food. His mind drew a blank when he saw her body completely relaxed, so unlike the last time he was in her cell. "Your hair is ugly." he blurted, and not a moment later, he slapped his forehead with a palm.

"Well your nose is fat, stop trying to make me change my hairstyle Kuzon." she snorted, taking a bite of bread.

"Who's Kuzon?" Zuko asked, eyes narrowing in surprise, that sounded like a Fire Nation name. Kana's hand stiffened for just a millisecond but he was still able to catch it. she peeked beyond the curtain of hair covering her face, gaze as blank as the metal walls she was held prisoner in.

"A friend, dead now I presume." she paused, "Hopefully from natural causes."

"Why wouldn't he die from natural causes." Zuko question carefully.

"Maybe because his nation found genocide acceptable, so they wouldn't really mind getting rid of him." She swallowed the last piece of food on her plate before kicking it over to him. "If you wouldn't mind?"

Zuko crouched down, eyes never leaving the Waterbender, he didn't want to find a chain around his neck, and picked up the tray. As he left the cell he could only muse on how his uncle's advice had actually been correct for once.

**So what do you guys think? I personally loved writing it, so I would love to hear that you enjoyed it! R&R if you can, please. There's also a trailer for this story on my profile, so if you're still a little uncertain about continuing, go watch that XD**


	2. Chapter 2: Both Avatars Return

**Legal Necessities: If I owned this, the characters would be older.**

Chapter two: Both Avatars Return

The entire village rushed out of the snow walls, the faces of the adults all turned down in worry. Over the horizon, the silhouettes of both Aang and Katara could be seen. As they walked closer, the children all grinned and rushed forward.

"I knew it! You signaled the Fire Nation with that flare!" Sokka exclaimed, pointing his spear at the Airbender. Kana felt her face flush, as she rushed forward pushing the weapon away. Standing besides her friend she made Sokka sputter before regaining his composure. "You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?"

"What? Aang didn't do anything," Kana exclaimed with wide eyes. "It had to be an accident! Right?"

"Yeah, we were on the ship and there was this booby trap and, well..." the Airbender mumbled, rubbing the back of his head, "we boobied right into it."

"Katara, you shouldn't have been on that ship." Gran-Gran exclaimed, "Now we could all be in trouble!"

"Don't blame Katara, it was my fault. I led her there," Aang all but shouted, guilt crawling up his face.

"Aha, the traitor confesses!" Sokka snarled. "Warriors, away from the enemy! He is hereby banished from our village!"

Kana grabbed him by the arm, panicking. As she was about to ask forgiveness for Aang's mistake, a sudden realization made rage boil over her.

"Sokka, what's wrong with you?" she screamed at him, anger sliding over her features. They were treating Aang so much differently from her, simply because he was an Airbender! It was wrong - beyond wrong. "He's just a kid!"

"No, I have to keep my promise to dad by protecting my sister from threats like him!" he snapped back, pointing at the boy - just the boy. It seemed as if everyone had completely forgotten that Kana wasn't part of the tribe.

But as she was about to express this, she was interrupted by Katara - who was just as angry as she. "Aang is not our enemy! Don't you see? He's brought us something we haven't had in a long time: fun."

"Fun?" the hunter exclaimed incredulously. "We can't fight Firebenders with _fun_!"

"And you can't fight people without a reason too, you're burning out Sokka. You have to realize this!" Kana pleaded.

Sokka glanced at her, uncertainty obvious on his face, but he knew what he had to do. "You have to leave our village, now." he said looking at Aang.

"Gran-Gran, please, Aang doesn't deserve-" Katara tried, casting a pleading look to the old woman.

"Katara, you knew it was forbidden to go on that ship. Sokka is right, I think it best if the Airbender leaves."

Kana felt her shoulders droop. This was her home, even after she spent a hundred years encased in ice. That much was clear from the ease at which she came into this small community, and easily won them over. She couldn't leave, especially not at a time like this; she had to help them rebuild their small home, to make it the place it was before.

"Fine! Then I'm banished too!" Katara hollered, grabbing the Aang by the arm, and starting to drag him to the giant flying Bison. Kana flinched back slightly, but no one made to make her leave as well. She felt ashamed that she didn't want too.

"Katara, would you really choose him over your tribe? Your family?" The question stopped the girl in her tracks. She looked down, and swallowed a lump in her throat.

Aang walked up to her with a frown. "Katara, I don't want to make you chose between your family." He was looking at Kana when he said that.

"But where will you go, Aang?"

"Back to the Air Temples, to look for the others, I guess," he said with a sad grin. "Man, I haven't cleaned my room for a hundred years! I'm not looking forward to that." He cast one last wary glance at Kana, then smiled at her too, as he leaped into the sky. This was her home, or at least close to it. He wouldn't even ask her to go with him. Landing on Appa, he turned around to say his final farewells.

"Let's see your Bison fly now, Air boy," Sokka sneered, earning a heated glare from Kana.

The buffalo just stood with a grumble, and before Aang could say anything, a little girl rushed forward with a cry. "Aang, don't go! I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too," he murmured, looking at Kana instead, before turning away. "Come on, boy," he said to the Bison before they trudged off.

As the depressed girl walked back to her mother, Gran-Gran approached her granddaughter. "Katara, you'll feel better after-"

"You happy now? There goes my one chance at becoming a Waterbender!" she yelled at the old woman before storming away.

She looked down guiltily, but Kana had heard what Katara said, and rushed up to her. "Did you say you were a Waterbender?" she asked eagerly, gripping her arm.

"Um, yes. Why?"

"Because I'm a Master Waterbender, I didn't think there were any here! I could teach you!"

Katara's face became ecstatic. "Really? Are you serious?" she shouted, glee only increasing as Kana nodded her head, the other girl's enthusiasm making her own spike. Another Waterbender – and a girl to boot – perhaps things weren't so bad after all!

"Katara, Kana, get inside! We have to prepare for the Fire Nation!" Sokka yelled, rushing the children back into the relative safety of being inside. "The enemy could be on our shores at any minute!"

A boy stopped at the opening, hopping on one foot as he raised his hand. "But I gotta-"

"And no potty breaks!" Sokka snapped, pointting furiously for him to get to the snow tower. When everyone was safely back inside, Sokka ran to his tent to prepare. Kana and Katara gathered the tribe together quickly, making sure they were all accounted for. The only thing Kana knew was that no body was going to hurt her home any more than it already was.

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Off in the distance, Zuko was preparing for the battle that would restore his honor. Two men fluttered about him, strapping on the blood red armor, tying his boots, and placing a spiked helmet over his face.

Through the mist, the iron behemoth the Firebenders traveled on sliced through the thick ice, shaking the ground. Halting only after hitting the thin snow barrier surrounding the small Water Tribe village. Steam bellowed from the metal monstrosity, and as the ship opened, hot air burped from the interior.

As the fog cleared, a group of Fire Nation soldiers parted to allow Prince Zuko to take the lead. As they walked down the ramp, Sokka rushed forward wielding his boomerang. Zuko easily kicked away the measly weapon, followed by the attacker himself. Kana's hands clenched in anger, but she let out a breath of air. Not yet.

A collaborative gasp shook the group as Sokka soared into the air, and over the side into a bank of snow, and Kana took the initiative to step in front of everyone. The soldiers continued forward in two rows, stopping right in the middle of the group. Golden eyes raked the small crowd, as children hid behind their mothers' skirts. His eyes stopped on Kana wearily, she was poised for attack, and something told him it would be a bad idea to underestimate her.

"Where are you hiding him?" Zuko growled. Upon seeing no men, he violently pointed to Gran-Gran. Kana glared back at him silently, eyes narrowed as she stood ready to fend off an attack. "He'd be about that age, master of all four elements."

Kana felt her stomach drop. No, this wasn't possible, they couldn't be after-

"I know you're hiding him!" the prince snarled, eyes focusing on Kana. With a breathe of air he kicked out in an arc, fire erupting from his boot. Wails rang out from the children at the unexpected heat, but she just stood still, when dealing with fire it was best no to fan the flames.

"There is no one here by that description." she said coldly, pale eyes narrowing.

As Kana spoke, Sokka escaped the snow and rushed forward with a yell. The prince just bent at an angle, tripping his attacker, and making him fly over his shoulder. The Water Tribe member rolled into a crouch, and tossed his boomerang. The Fire Nation prince simply sidestepped, letting it miss his face entirely.

A spear was tossed into Sokka's hands, and he rushed forward. Zuko took a stance, and broke the wooden weapon in two moves. He snatched the remainder out of his opponent's hands, and smacked it against his forehead. The fight was over. He even managed to dodge the boomerang as it twirled back and sank into the sodden snow.

As Kana was about to step forward, and make a move against the villages attackers, the prince's feet were knocked out from under him. A cheer rose from the children, even as Aang drenched them in snow after riding in on a penguin.

"Hey Katara, Kana, and Sokka," he beamed. Sokka raised his hand, a disgruntled look in his face.

"Hey." Turning around, Zuko rose from his fall with a glare. He motioned for his soldiers to spread out with a twist of his hands. They surrounded the Airbender, pointing their weapons at him. Aang made three sweeping motions with his glider, knocking all but Zuko back with snow.

"Looking for me?" he said challengingly.

"You're the Airbender? You're the Avatar?" the prince asked skeptically. Kana tried to rush forward, shouting no, but was grabbed around the waist by Sokka before she could go any further.

"I've spent years waiting for this moment, training, meditating. You're just a child," Zuko snarled as the two benders circled each other.

Aang cocked his head in confusion. "Well, you're just a teenager."

Throwing out a fist, Zuko hurled a fireball towards his opponent. Quickly Aang spun his glider, dissipating the flames before they could do any damage. But before he could think to attack himself, the children let out a squeal of fright. Destroying the last of the fire, he stopped. "If I go with you, will you leave the rest of them alone?"

Zuko looked at the boy for a second, then stood straight, leaving his stance. He nodded once. Two soldiers disarmed the newly discovered Avatar, and they started up to the ship.

Kana lurched from Sokka's grip with a cry. "No, Aang, you can't! You know that-"

The Airbender looked back with a grin. "Don't worry Kana, it'll be okay. Take care of Appa for me until I get back!"

"Head a course for the Fire Nation!" Zuko yelled before lowering his voice. "I'm going home." As the ramp began to ascend, Aangs smile turned down. Kana broke from Sokka's grip, rushing forward just as the ship pulled away from the ice, the Water Tribe, and Kana.

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As the village busied itself with fixing the damage that was done, the Katara, Kana, and Sokka looked out over the sea. Kana could feel a rumbling in her chest, as if an explosion were going to take place unless she admitted something.

"I can't do this!" she shouted to no one in particular, making the siblings look at her curiously. "Aang isn't the only Avatar," she whispered, licking her lips.

"Kana, you're-"

"I was the Waterbender born here one hundred years ago, the one who was also suppose to master all four elements. I can't leave him. He sacrificed himself knowing that whoever that was, could have just as easily taken me, and would have."

Katara walked forward, placing a gentle hand on the other girl's shoulder. "That's why we're going to go get him back," she said with a comforting smile.

Kana turned just as Sokka threw the last bag into a small canoe. "Thank you," she whispered, "Thank you both."

As they all walked up to the small boat, a voice spoke up from behind them, making them turn on their innocent smiles. "What are you three doing?" Gran-Gran questioned, then suddenly pulled out a roll of furs with a kind smile. " You'll need these. You have a long journey ahead of you. It's been so long since I've had hope," she said, pulling Katara into an embrace. "But you brought it back, my little Waterbender. And you, my brave warrior," Gran-gran chuckled, looking at Sokka, "be nice to your sister."

"Yeah," he said, hugging his grandmother. "Okay, Gran-Gran."

"Believe it or not, but I overheard your conversation. Both Aang and Kana are the Avatar. They are the only chance. You found each other for a reason. Now your destinies are intertwined with theirs." The two siblings glanced worriedly at each other, and Kana simply stayed silent. "And you, child," the old woman said, turning to her, "I am sorry for what fate has brought you, but true balance cannot be achieved with two Avatars. One of you must fall... Most likely by the hands of the other."

"I know," was Kana's only mumbled answer.

Unable to say anything to the other Waterbender, Katara looked away, hoping to change the subject. "We'll never catch a warship with a canoe."

"Well then, I guess it's a good thing we have Appa," Kana said, pointing at a hill where the large buffalo let out a rumbling roar.

"You just love taking me out of my comfort zone, don'tcha?"

"You know you love it." She laughed.

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Sailing through the water, miles away, Zuko stood on deck with the Avatar. "This staff will make an excellent gift for my father," he said, twirling the long wooden pole. "I guess you wouldn't know of father's being raised by monks. Take the Avatar to the prison hold, and take this to my quarters," he said, handing the glider to his uncle, who quickly handed it off to a soldier. He didn't know what to feel. After so many years' searching, he could finally go home. His father would finally be proud of him.

Zuko had ended up in his room when he heard that the Airbender had escaped. He knew he would come for his staff, and when he ran past the open door, the prince slammed it shut with a scowl. This was not part of his plans, and nothing would stop him from heading back home.

"Looks like I underestimated you." He scowled, making Aang back up against a corner. Zuko took his stance and lashed out, but was unable to touch the Air Nomad as his entire bending style was focused on dodging. He had never faced an Airbender before, damn it!

Aang didn't throw a single punch, but simply avoided all attacks until he managed to get his glider back. With a quick flick of his wrist, Zuko's mattress smacked into him, pinning him to the wall momentarily. When the bed fell away, the Avatar was gone.

Jumping to his feet, he followed the Airbender up to the helm of the ship. When the Avatar tossed his glider into the air, he followed suit, and barely managed to grab his ankle. The two fell to the deck, but before the Zuko could strike, a roar sounded from in the sky. The Fire Prince felt awe fill his face, but quickly focused as his prey turned away.

"What is that?" As Aang turned to look at the sky, Zuko let out a volley of fire, successfully throwing the Avatar overboard.

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Up in the sky, Kana let out a scream as she saw Aang fall into the arctic waters. Running along Appa's back, she dove off of the flying creature, bringing the sea up to meet her before slamming into the freezing sea. She kicked frantically, arm circling around her twelve-year-old friend, while she used the other one to propel them up out of the ocean. Reaching out to the side of the metal boat, a hand grasped her wrist. When she looked up, a hiss escaped her throat at the sight of the scarred prince. He was the one who had terrorized the village!

Kana let him yank her back on board, but as soon as her feet hit metal, she retaliated. With one quick movement she flung Zuko back with a water whip, soldiers already beginning to circle her. with a grunt she chucked Aang back into the sea, and flung her arms in a circle, catching him with the water. And with another movement, she tossed him into the sky. Katara tugged the sky Bison into a sharp turn, Sokka grabbing Aang's limp form and dragging him onto Appa's back.

Katara angled down as soldiers completely surrounded Kana, but hesitated for a moment when Sokka crawled up behind her, and put a hand on her shoulder. The two girls met eyes, and Kana nodded. There were other Waterbenders, but if what they said was true, and no one had seen an Airbender for a hundred years, than Aang was much more important. This was the world now; this was what happened in the time of war. You save the one that matters more, even if you know one of the two that needed saving could die.

"Go!" she shouted as a boot rammed into her back, bringing her to her knees.

Kana watched as her friends soared away, and knew they would come for her, but thanked the spirits that Aang wasn't awake. He would never leave her. Her thoughts were cut short as the Fire Nation soldiers parted to allow Prince Zuko to walk up to her.

"You lost me the Avatar," he snarled, towering over the kneeling girl. "But you also made sure I'd find him again." Kana sprang up and tried to slam her fist in his face, but he grabbed her by the wrists, and pulled her close, constricting her bending. She could see it in his eyes, she was more valuable than he would dare to admit, but she also got rid of his only chance to achieve whatever he wanted without incident.

"What's all the commotion about?" asked a groggy Iroh, as he walked out of the interior of the ship and saw a collection of soldiers. As he prodded through them, and saw the scene before him, he couldn't help but tease his nephew. "Great catch, Prince Zuko; does this mean I'm going to have grandkids?"

"Uncle!"

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"Aang, please talk to us." Katara whispered. "I'm sorry we left Kana, but it was what she wanted."

He just shook his head.

**Aaaaand chapter two, a day after chapter one. Don't you love me? You could show me that love by reviewing :P**


	3. Chapter 3:The Southern Air Temple Vision

**Legal Necessities: if I owned this, Aang would be a girl. :P**

Chapter 3: The Southern Air Temple Vision

In the setting sun, a damaged Fire navy ship sat among dozens of others, all just as formidable, all just as identical. The only difference was that this particular boat had a most valued prisoner. But until it could sail, she was nothing of value.

"Uncle, I want the repairs done as quickly as possible. I don't want to stay too long and risk losing his trail."

"We have a prisoner, Prince Zuko. Perhaps we should just lay a trap for the Avatar," Iroh stated, taking a step back as his nephew abruptly turned around.

"Don't mention his name on these docks. Once word gets out that he's alive, every Firebender will be out looking for him—and us, if they discover we have leverage over him. I don't want anyone getting in the way."

"Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?" the sudden voice of a man approaching caused both uncle and nephew to turn sharply. His arms were crossed, and the way he spoke Zuko's name was more like a curse than a title.

"Captain Zhao." The prince scowled back. This man was scum; he would lick the crumbs off another's plate if it benefitted him.

"It's Commander now. And General Iroh, great hero of our nation. It's a pleasure."

"Retired General now, " Iroh said, giving a friendly smile to the man who wore an obvious look of disdain.

"The Fire Lord's brother and son are welcome anytime. What brings you to my harbor?"

"Our ship is being repaired." The old man motioned to the boat, where an entire piece of metal had been torn from the side. The Waterbender had thought it would be a good idea to bring down a cliff of ice, taking advantage of Zuko's momentary weakness. Uncle should have known better than to make such a joke when they caught the girl. _Does this mean I'm going to have grandchildren? _Zuko snorted, like he would touch that Water Tribe girl.

"You wouldn't believe what happened," he said, mind drawing a complete blank on what to say. "Uncle, tell Commander Zhao what happened."

Iroh blinked in surprise, and could barely stifle a chuckle. It looked like his nephew was getting revenge. "It was incredible!" he leaned over to his nephew to whisper in his ear. "What, did we crash or something?"

"Yes!" he said. "Right into an Earth Kingdom vessel."

"Really?" Zhao growled skeptically. "You must regale me with all the thrilling details." He smirked in Zuko's face, knowing the story was a crock. "Join me for a drink?"

"Sorry," he snarled, turning away, "we have to go." Before he could get five steps away, he felt his Uncle's hand pull him back. This man was a snake, and there was no way he wouldn't see through this conglomerate of lies.

"Prince Zuko, show Commander Zhao your respect," Iroh commanded before turning back to the suspicious man. "We would be honored to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea?" he questioned, walking away from his disgruntled nephew.

Zuko let out a burst of fire from his hands, a scowl sinking into his face, before following. This was more than dangerous—they had the most important captive in the world, and a liar like Zhao would smell the facade a mile away.

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Kana sat shackled to the steel wall. When she had been taken to the brig, the old man Iroh had accompanied her. He was kind, and even put some fur over her ankles before the cuffs were placed. He said it was to keep the skin from chaffing. She hated him the most. It was just like fire to crumble under an angry flame, even if it wasn't as great. He obviously didn't agree with her imprisonment, but couldn't bare to get burned by his young charge.

They had sailed for what the she guessed was roughly three days. Even through the metal, the feeling of the moon pressed on her. But as the door to her cell opened, three guards came in toting food and a cup of water. A slow smirk crossed her face as locks of hair blocked her expression. They needed three to hold one.

The man holding the tray inched closer, than slid the food over to Kana before jumping back into his Firebending stance. Sluggishly, she reached out and snagged a dry piece of bread, bringing it slowly to her lips. Even with the masks hiding their expressions, it was easy to tell how nervous they all were.

It was understandable, though. When you can't even keep a person alive without giving them a weapon, it was hard not to panic. She picked up the cup of liquid, and the soldiers took a simultaneous step back. Kana tossed her head back, swallowing the beverage. A single drop of water escaped the side of her mouth.

With a sly grin, she slid the empty platter to her captives, and watched them leave. The clanking of iron assaulted her ears, the noise of men working to repair the damage she had managed to do.

Standing with all the grace of flowing water, she let out a sigh, and placed one hand over her stomach. Kana could clearly feel the liquid sloshing in her belly. Moving her fingers along the blue fabric, she led the shivering element up, through the chest, then the throat, and out the mouth.

A clear orb formed over her palm. With a flex of her fingers, it stretched and squeezed itself as it sparkled in the dimly lit cell. Kana allowed a chuckle to escape her lips as she swept her arm up, the water following her movements. A slight chime rang from the metal as a slight cut landed on the hinges of the door.

"Never underestimate a Waterbender."

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"And by year's end, the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule. The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war." Zhao said, a mocking lilt to his voice. But Zuko simply stared down at the table, too much on his mind.

"If my father thinks that the rest of the world will follow him willingly, than he is a fool." He snapped. Everyone in this room knew Zuko's opinion on his father. He wanted acceptance, but was denied it. He already knew his father to be a fool.

"Two years at sea has done little to temper your tongue." Zhao smirked, even now the Fire Prince didn't know when. and what was appropriate to be said. "So… how is your search for the Avatar going?"

_Better than you think, you pathetic-_ a loud crash caused Zhao to look away from the teen's face, as his uncle knocked over a collection of spears.

"We haven't found him yet." _But we have that little Waterbending peasant._

"Don't be foolish, the Avatar died along with all the other Air Nomads a hundred years ago… Unless you found evidence that he is somehow alive?" Zhao sneered, but sobered almost immediately when Zuko looked away. "Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one that can stop the Fire Nation. If you have an ounce of loyalty left, you will tell me what you found."

"I haven't found anything." _Except the person that will bring that Air Nomad right into my grasp._ "Come on uncle, we're leaving." As the two made to leave, the soldiers lowered their spears, blocking his way out.

"Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew like you asked. They confirmed that Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape." The prince felt his shoulders slump more out of relief than betrayal; at least his men had the common sense to stay silent about their prisoner.

"Now remind me, how exactly was your ship damaged?"

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_Kana rested on a pallet of furs, the sun never shifting in the sky. She was at the training center of the Water Tribe, usually filled with students; it was a strange sight to be alone. One other person sat with her: Kagami, her grandmother and the leader of the Southern Water Tribe__._

"_You have excelled even further than expected, my dear, a formidable Waterbender indeed." The old woman walked up to the girl, a kind smile arranged over her features. But the younger of the two women knew better, it was just a mask to hide her true feelings._

"_Grandmother, why was the other Avatar born after me? Shouldn't he have come first, being an Airbender?"_

"_My child, the spirits work in mysterious ways. Even if we question them, we shall never get an answer." The crone chuckled at her dejected granddaughter. It was never easy to be the Avatar; much suffering would come from it. But even more pain befell him if another was born. It was perhaps a mix of confusion and anger that made Kana believe what she did: that she was to be the one to die for a person she didn't know._

"_We have arranged a meeting for you and the other Avatar." The young girl raised her head at this, brows furrowing._

"_They didn't tell him he was the Avatar, did they? He's not even close to being sixteen."_

"_You were but a year older when you discovered you were the Avatar."_

"_Yes, grandmother, but I sneezed fire," Kana giggled, shaking her head. The memory was still fresh in her mind; it's not easy to forget melting an igloo and landing in a puddle of warm water. _"_How do you tell a child that he's destined to die, or kill to stay alive?" she asked, looking to the older woman for help._

"_Kana," she murmured, placing a gloved hand on the young woman's shoulder. "You will come to realize that sometimes it is better to keep someone oblivious, so that you don't end up hurting them more than they already will be."_

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"So a twelve-year-old boy bested you, and your Firebenders? You're even more pathetic than I thought," Zhao snarled, pacing back and forth in front of a calm-faced Zuko. Two soldiers stood behind him. He kept his mouth shut, but his teeth gritted in annoyance. He had to keep reminding himself that whatever this bastard said, he had still captured a Master Waterbender.

"You will not get a second chance."

"Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for two years now-"

"And you failed!" the Commander snarled, a burst of flame erupting from his hand. "Capturing the Avatar is too important to be left in a teenager's hands… he's mine now." Zuko lunged out of his chair, forgetting his previous reason for being calm as the two guards grabbed him by the arms.

"Keep them here." Zhao ordered his men, turning to leave. The hotheaded prince snarled and smashed his right foot into the table Iroh was sitting at.

"Uncle, what if he-"

"More tea, please," Iroh said, looking his nephew in the eyes. Zhao might be keeping them here, but getting overly emotional was dangerous. And so long as they still had that girl on board, Zuko's success was all but assured.

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Both uncle and nephew sat facing each other. Zhao stood to the side, hands behind his back and soldiers at the ready. Zuko's temper was always what had gotten him in trouble; it was best to take precautions.

"Once I'm out to sea, my men will escort you back to your ship and you'll be free to go."

"Why, are you worried that I'm going to try and stop you?" Zuko snarled, leveling a freezing glare at the Commander. Zhao hesitated for a second, then threw his head back in laughter.

"You? Stop me? Impossible!"

"Don't underestimate me, Zhao. I will catch the Avatar before you. I already-"

"Prince Zuko," Iroh rumbled, stopping him again before he could mention the girl, and lose them their only advantage, "that is enough!"

"Once I deliver the Avatar to my father, he will welcome me home with open arms."

"If your father really wanted you back, he would have let you return by now. In his eyes you are a failure. You have the scar to prove it." Zhao hissed, his lips picking up just the slightest. His distaste of the banished prince was obvious to all in the room, especially, said banished prince.

"Maybe you'd like one to match! An Agni Kai, at sunset!"

"Prince Zuko," Iroh asked, fear leaking through his placid mask, "have you forgotten the last time you dueled a master?"

The Fire Prince raised a hand to his scar as Commander Zhao left to prepare.

"I will never forget."

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A sharp pain traveled through Kana's chest. She collapsed to her knees, the water she was using falling limply to the floor. Her head began to throb, and a hundred miles away she could feel him, and all the others. Aang, and every Avatar before them, traveling back to a time where names had no meaning.

"Gyatso!" she wailed, eyes illuminating the dank cell with a blue tint. A heaving sensation yanked her to her feet, before crashing back down. She could experience every pang of guilt and sadness radiating through the link she shared with Aang.

She was in the Air Temple, then back in her metal prison, each vision flashing past her eyes in horrific detail. And with one final tug, it all froze. A black void encased her, and as she turned frantically to get her bearings, she saw him. Five feet away, Aang sat crying into his lap, knees drawn up to his eyes.

Pity flowed into her as she approached the weeping figure of her friend. Kana knelt down, and pulled him into a tight embrace, letting him cry his sorrows into her shoulder.

"It's all my fault, I should have been there. I shouldn't have dragged you with me!" He bellowed, a gust of wind pushing out from his slight form.

"Aang… not even the Avatar can control nature, that wave... It was not your fault. I could have stopped you, but I didn't. That doesn't make it my fault. The blame does not fall on anyone's shoulders." Aang looked up at his other half, and understood. She was going to save the world.

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Kana jolted awake to the movement of the ship sailing through calm seas. A tremor crawled up her spine, yet she got back to her feet all the same. She didn't understand what had happened between Aang and her, and now wasn't the time to reflect on it.

The water still resided as a puddle on the floor, and she swung it back up into the air, slicing at the metal. Sweat covered her brow, but she continued anyways. She had to get off of this ship, and being surrounded by the ocean should only make it easier.

With one final strike at the door, Kana felt the water cut all the way through. She let out a shout of delight before turning on her heel and slicing the thin chains shackling her to the wall. She gave a smirk, and her foot lashed out, knocking the steel door to the floor.

The guard watching her cell leapt in surprise, but before he could even think of attacking, he was out cold, a lump forming on his forehead. Kana rushed forward. She had watched closely when she was brought to the brig, and knew exactly where to go.

As she rushed up the stairs, the alarm sounded. Kana looked over the deck, her heart picking up pace as she saw Zuko turn around, his uncle right behind him. Pulling the water of the sea around her in a shield, a smug grin crossed her face. The prince wouldn't be able to get past this barrier until she was safely overboard.

But when she made to get to the ledge of the ship, a blast of fire smashed through the watery shield, slamming her into the railing. Kana slid down, a welt forming over the expanse of her back. A bright light formed before her, and she barely managed to catch the flame with the liquid on the ship. How had he- Iroh, that fat uncle of his!

"Looks like I'm going to have to take your imprisonment into my own hands." Zuko snarled, eyes narrowed at the Waterbender

**I want to give a special shout out to my new Beta, who helped me with all the problems of this story! Especially the ones I couldn't see, because I was writing the thing. Thank you my awesome Beta!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Warriors of Kyoshi

**Legal Necessities: If I owned this I would be rich.**

Chapter 4: The Warriors of Kyoshi

Kana peeked through the thick hair smothering her face, letting out a breathe of misty air. A grimace, and slumped shoulders marked her defeat as Iroh and Zuko looked on with a platoon of soldiers. The prince yanked her angrily up, squeezing tightly on her forearm. His men separated while he pulled on the once free, but now, yet again captive.

This time when he led her to a cell, he didn't give her the courtesy of leaving her arms unshackled. She slumped down, the chains rattling with her movements, then she peered up and let a grin spread over her face. Zuko's face reddened, his hand clenched in disdain. "Uncle, watch the prisoner while I make more secure arrangements," he snapped, storming away from the Waterbender.

Iroh swept to the side for his nephew before ordering one of his men to bring in a pot of tea. He sat cross-legged across from the girl, a careful smile his only expression. "That was a very foolish stunt you pulled," he murmured as the door swung open, an armor-clad man placing a pot of tea in front of Iroh.

Kana waited for the soldier to exit before responding. "It would have paid off if I had managed to escape."

The old man scrutinized her, than drew a key from his sleeve. "I appreciate having company when drinking tea, so long as you promise not to attack."

The Waterbender looked at the man for a moment. She shook her head side to side, before chuckling. "Well, who am I to deny a warm cup of tea?" she said, sitting up straighter while the Firebender un-cuffed her. Slowly Kana rubbed her wrists; the shackles had been a little too tight, and it was nice to have them off. She took a cup from Iroh, and sipped it slowly.

"I find that most teas tastes bitter, but just a bit of honey added can make all the difference," the retired general mentioned at the look of Kana's nose twitching slightly at the flavor. She looked at him for a second before offering a smile.

"Of course, if it has been brewed for to long, no amount of sweetening will make it better," she replied. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, each watching the other warily while swallowing the flavored water.

"There was never time to apologize for the need of keeping you prisoner," Iroh started after the silenced become unbearable, "but you must understand-"

Kana raised her hand, cutting off his words. "You remind me of something my grandmother once said," she started with a frown. "She told me that there are two categories of kind people. Those who were born with kindness in their heart, and those who have experienced a pain so deep that they can't bear to see others hurting."

"You need the Avatar, I'm the means to achieving the end. I have no ill will, this is simply the way things are, and nothing will change that. I do not need, nor desire to know the ulterior motive for finding the Avatar." She smiled at him, eyes glinting in the dim cell.

"You are very wise for your age, more so than I have seen in a long time." Kana just grabbed the pot of tea and poured another cup for herself, face falling completely blank.

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As the sun dipped below the horizon, the fatigued figure of the Water Tribe peasant only managed to enrage Zuko all the more. Though she was defeated, thanks to an overwhelming part by his uncle, Kana still wore a smirk when he walked into her cell. It was an obvious insult to the way his ship was run. His uncle had completely undermined him, removing both manacles from her wrists, and going so far as to provide her tea. Did he forget that having her arms free was how she escaped last time?

The hotheaded prince yanked the girl from the floor. He quickly unshackled the chains from her ankles, and started towards the only place that he could make sure she didn't escape. Better than a jail cell, because there would always be a person to observe her, there were men always passing by this place. When they got to the new room, he pushed her in without another word.

"Prince Zuko," Iroh started, worry clear in his shifting stance, "perhaps it is a bad idea to keep the girl here."

"Uncle, I know what I'm doing. The Waterbender is too valuable to allow escape. This break out attempt was too close to succeeding; it can't happen again." The prince felt his hands clench painfully. Under any other circumstance, his uncle would have been correct. But she was the only link to the Avatar he had, which meant that if sacrifices had to be made, then so be it.

"We could use the designated holding methods-"

"No. I am many things, Uncle, but I am no fool," Zuko growled, averting his eyes. "I trust my men, but the Water Tribe peasant is both a prisoner and a woman. I know exactly the thoughts that entails."

The old man looked at his nephew before his shoulders slumped. He was right. In times of war, men could be more beast than human. And placing a helpless female in front of them would be too much of a temptation.

"But Zuko, do you think you will not be compromised with her residing in your own bed chambers?"

"It's the only way to make sure she is completely safe," he said, placing a comforting hand on Iroh's shoulder. It was understandable why his uncle was worried; even Zuko was.

"And how are we to make sure you are completely safe?"

"I will always have the upper hand, uncle."

"Being under constant attack is strenuous, Prince Zuko. It is not the ones on your body that you must watch for, but the words that snake into your mind," the elder general warned, patting his nephew's hand before turning away.

The Fire Prince shook his head as his uncle walked away. This was his choice, and if it were also his demise, he would have only himself to blame. Zuko blinked once, then grabbed the handle leading to his room. Swinging open the steel door, he gave an aggravated sigh at the sight awaiting him.

He had been too occupied with his conversation to take notice of the ruckus that had been going on. The girl had managed to stack all the loose belongings of his room under a window. She stood on tiptoes, reached up and successfully grabbed the ledge. But as she tried to pull herself up, something beneath her slid, bringing her crashing down. Zuko reached out, catching her slight frame before she could crack her head on the steel floor. He dropped Kana just as fast as he seized her, the sudden impact to the floor jarring her senses.

The Waterbender sat dazed from the fall. When she glanced up, cerulean gaze meeting the molten gold of the prince's, she lashed out, swiping Zuko's legs out from under him. Lurching forward, she dashed towards the only easily escape route—the door—without hesitation.

Zuko sprang up from the fall, and sprinted to snag her from behind. He was obviously much faster and physically stronger than the girl without his armor weighing him down. She had been weakened considerably from her imprisonment, and was not in any shape to get away successfully, so when he grabbed the prisoner, the momentum carried both straight to the floor.

The Firebender unceremoniously pinned his hostage down, giving her little to no leverage. He could feel the even beating of her heart. Anger swelling, his fingers curled painfully into the Waterbender's side. She had never actually tried to free herself from this room, simply make a nuisance of herself. It was apparent from the way her heart fluttered with a normal thump against his chest, she was never trying to actually escape.

Zuko stood gruffly, stepping a few feet back to wait for the girl's reaction. His face reddened slightly with guilt, as she sat up and rubbed at the side where he had recently dug his fingers. He watched as the girl rested on the floor, curling in on herself and burying her face in her knees, a sigh escaping her lips. Exhaustion sapped away any and all fight left in the Waterbender. He never realized how frail, how small the girl could appear if she wanted, compared to his larger build. Her mere presence seemed to radiate a confidence that made her larger than she actually was.

Yet upon closer inspection, it was obvious that Zuko only had about three inches on the girl. And though she was well-toned, her physique was noticeably less than his. Zuko simply looked on while the girl rubbed her face, and rose, eyes sunken with tiredness. He was unable to catch the sharpening of her stare quickly enough. She dove forward, sliding beneath his outreached arms to the other side of the room.

With one last effort, the Waterbender seized one of the Dao swords from the wall. Her lips curved up tauntingly, before she leveled the blade towards him. Every fiber of her posture sang that this girl knew nothing of handling swords, which made Zuko grin in return.

"Put that back before you kill yourself," he snapped, walking cautiously towards the Water Tribe peasant. She held her ground, keeping the sword raised evenly with his chest, feet shifting uncomfortably from inexperience.

"That seems like a you problem at the moment," she retorted, a sparkle in her blue eyes. But despite her mocking demeanor, she slowly tried to inch away from the approaching figure of Zuko. Finally when he got too close, she thrust the sword, aiming for his shoulder. But this time the Firebender was prepared, and easily dodged the attack by grasping his prisoner's wrist.

"Let go," he hissed, yet the idiot girl just clutched tighter. Slowly Zuko twisted her wrist until he heard a squeak, and the Dao sword clattered to the floor.

"I suggest learning to listen. You don't want to make an enemy of me. Now go to bed." The Waterbender looked to the mattress at the corner of the room, than glanced uncertainly at him. Callously, the Fire Prince placed his sword back on the wall where it belonged, almost a dare for her to try again. He lstched the window shut, welding the metal quickly, and stormed from his room. A final click came from the outside of the Princes' bedchamber sealed the prisoner in.

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_A statue of a woman loomed menacingly, face painted white with blood red lips, and scarlet paint arching over her eyes. Black hair sat against her shoulders; forest green eyes looked blankly forward. She had lived for two hundred and thirty years, she was Avatar Kyoshi._

_In front of the withering, shrinking, wooden woman, a_ _group of warriors posed in formation before the wooden woman, each wearing the same garb as their founder. No men were present as they stood with one arm outstretched, their faces as blank as the statue. One arm swung out, the other arcing up, their moves were a combination of air and earth._

_Each movement of the warriors seemed to breath life into the still figure of Kyoshi. First the cracks left, than her hair turned to strands, and a gasp raised her chest. The pedestal she was mounted on lowered, and she stepped onto the packed soil._

_The fighters finished their dance, shifting back into two lines as the lanky Avatar approached her reincarnation. She stood so much taller than her other self, that the woman who had lived for two hundred and thirty years smiled. She reached out to the new Avatar imploringly._

"_I must admit, I did not believe I would be reborn so… tiny." Kyoshi's fingers touched the small girl's face._

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Kana felt a hand rest on her waist. She jolted awake, slapping whoever had touched her. Eyes wide, her back pressed against the metal wall, she found a disgruntled Zuko clutching his cheek. Three bloody streaks lined his sharp jaw line; her nails had caught on his skin.

"What are you doing?" She wheezed, clutching at her chest, heart beating frantically from distress.

Zuko, gingerly patted the tender marks on his face for a second before scowling. "Don't flatter yourself, I was trying to get some sleep."

"By groping me?" she shouted.

"It was an accident!" he screamed back, face flushing.

Kana scrutinized her surroundings slowly; she had fallen asleep before adequately scooping out her surroundings. Though the place was only slightly furnished, it was clearly inhabited prior to when she was thrown in here. "Why am I in your quarters?" she breathed, worry building even further in her bosom.

"Would you prefer to be chained to a wall, with men that haven't seen a woman in months watching over you?"

"Because you don't have that problem?" she hissed skeptically.

"I need you unharmed for my plans to work, besides, peasants like you don't interest me. Do you want to me notice your body?" he asked harshly.

"No," she murmured, face paling slightly.

"Then I'm going to bed."

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Kana soon learned that Zuko was a light sleeper. Every aggressive move she made, woke him from his light slumber. She got over that relatively quickly, instead opting to annoy him during any other times he was around, with the exception of his morning meditation.

That was something that amused the Waterbender. She had meditated with the monks before, but never had she actually seen someone take it as seriously as the prince. After a few days, she even asked to join him. He seemed genuinely surprised, but agreed, saying that it would be a slight "reprieve" from her constant botherings.

As the days passed, meditation and exercise was the only thing she had to look forward too. On occasion, when not busy playing pai-show, Iroh would visit with a pot of tea. But unlike Zuko, he was dangerous. Kana had to be careful around him, lest she let something slip. And he would notice; he was already suspicious of her lack of knowledge towards this time.

But despite her carefully placed words, she couldn't help but to enjoy the old man's company. They talked about many things; mostly she prodded about his life, half out of interest, and half out of desire to know more about this time period. The one thing she could never mention was always at the front of her mind: The reoccurring dream of Kyoshi

"_I must admit, I did not believe I would be reborn so… tiny." Kyoshi's fingers touched the small girl's face._

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Aang could feel his blood begin to boil. Zuko had come to Kyoshi Island, which meant that he hadn't figured out the truth about his Waterbending friend. Obviously he would have taken Kana to the Fire Lord instead of Aang. The mere thought of her made his hands clench tightly over his staff, and walk to the middle of town center, where the Fire Prince defeated the Kyoshi warriors.

"Zuko!" he shouted, face flushing red at the sight of the scarred prince's grin. "Where is she?" his snarl rang across the seemingly deserted village, an uncharacteristic scowl over his face.

"Why don't you come with me and find out? I might even let her go, or maybe I'll just keep her as leverage seeing that our last agreement didn't work." The young Airbender looked at the person holding, not only one of his closest friends, but the second Avatar. The only person that could understand, that shared the same burdens with him. And from what Aang had gathered from Katara and Sokka, the Fire Nation would have no problem executing...

_Across the expanse of the island, he could hear a scream from Kana. A sharp sensation stabbing at both of them. He could feel the deep breaths she sucked in, her chest shuddering in an attempt to shut out the Avatar state._

_"Aang!" she screamed through the link they shared, "You must stop! The destruction you will cause will hurt others more than help me."_

_"But-"_

_"No. There are enough Waterbenders, but you're the only Air Nomad left. Aang, you are so much more important than me, so leave and let me help the only way I know how!"_

**'Ello my readers! Well this was a pain to write, but you know what would make it worth writing? A lovely review from you, of course! So show your love and get to it please XD**


	5. Chapter 5: The City of Omashu

**Legal Necessities: If I owned this, I would still probably write fan fiction for it… But then it wouldn't really be fan fiction… MIND FREAK!**

Chapter 5: The city of Omashu

Kana sat across from the retired general Iroh. Steaming tea sat between the two of them. With both of their faces arranged stoically, it took a whole cup of the hot liquid before either of the two bothered to slacken their expressions. Honestly Iroh was a pretty smiley guy, but she figured that his military kicked in when speaking to a prisoner. The Firebender slowly brought the cup to his lips, steam brushing his nose.

"Would you like to hear a story, Kana?" Iroh asked quietly, peering over the rim of his mug.

"That depends, what is it about?" A slight smile arranged itself over her face.

"It's an old Fire Nation tale, about Obsession and his son Caring." The old man looked at his nephew's prisoner for a second before continuing.

_A young Caring tried to enter the war chamber behind a group of military leaders, but the guards wouldn't let him pass. His uncle Accepting pulled Caring off to the side and questioned why he desired to be part of the war meeting. Accepting explained that it was boring, even to him. Yet the young Caring was steadfast in his resolve. He wanted to learn how to be like his father, and carry on his greatness. _

_Accepting decided to let Caring enter the War Chamber, but cautioned him not to talk. There in the chamber, a military leader was telling a group about his plan on engaging the enemy: he suggested sending in a group of new recruits to attack directly, sacrificing them so that they can mount an attack from the rear. _

_Forgetting the warning from Accepting, Caring spoke out against the generals's plan, saying that it's wrong to sacrifice their own soldiers. Though he was right, it wasn't his place to speak out and there would be consequences… Caring's father became furious with his son. _

_With an act of disrespect like this, the only way to settle it was with an Agni Kai. Caring thought that his opponent would be the general he had challenged, and so wasn't afraid to fight. But as the duel started, Caring discovered that it was not the general whom he had to face, but Obsession- his father..._

"Iroh, stop."

_When Caring found out it was his father he had to face, he begged for mercy. He simply could not face his father. Obsession had no compassion for his son's feelings, ordering him to fight, but Caring refused. _

_Then Obsession claimed that Caring must learn respect, and the only way to learn it was through suffering. A group of others watch the duel, along with his uncle and sister. The only thing that could be heard was a scream. _

"Stop."

"Being the man he was, Obsession was not satisfied. After the duel, the Fire Lord said that by refusing to duel, Zuko showed shameful weakness. As a punishment, he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return home."

"I said stop!" Kana brought her cup down hard on the table, the clay cracking from the force. Iroh watched as her face turned a hot red, and the water in her cup shook ever so slightly. The old man simply sipped the now cold tea, making sure to keep an extra sharp eye on the Waterbender.

The old general knew all too well the fundamentals of war, and the first rule for both capturer and captive was the same: Never humanize the person you're against. If you felt anything, saw a similarity, heard a story that made them more human than a monster, then you would be less willing to do anything to get what you wanted.

"I think it's time for you to go," the girl snarled, rising quickly to her feet. She turned away from him, a look of disgust on her face, and peered down at the shrine Zuko had set up. Her eyes glinted, flame dancing through the near-transparent color of Water Tribe blue. The Dragon of the West could almost swear he saw her gaze glossed over with tears, but what was clear to Iroh was the firm set of her jaw. Kana wanted him gone, and she was in no mood to be trifled with any further.

"My nephew is probably looking for me anyway. It's always nice to speak with you, Kana. I should make more of an effort to come see you." He waited for a second to see if she would respond, yet like he assumed, she just continued ignoring his presence. The old man let out a sigh, but knew it was the right thing to do. Despite what his nephew believed, this girl was much stronger than her slight form hinted at.

"I forgot to tell you, my dear, I picked up a little gift for you at port today. I figured you would like it—surprising to find, considering it was Water Tribe. I thought you would be more willing to use it since it wasn't Fire Nation."

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Zuko nearly had a heart attack when he walked into his room to see, at first glance, what appeared to be a stranger. But when she turned around to the sound of the door closing, it was just Kana in new clothes. She looked so different with the Water Tribe dress that his uncle had told him to he bought.

Her arms were completely bare, an entire shoulder missing causing the neckline to curve over her chest. It hugged her better than what she had previously wore, and separated at the sides of her legs to allow for easier movement. But what surprised him the most was the Fire Nation hairdo: a bun on top, with two large strands framing her heart-shaped face.

"What?" she snapped at him, eyes narrowing in distaste. He was a little shocked at the hostility that she displayed; obviously she didn't much care for the outfit his uncle had picked out either. But Zuko knew she didn't like the clothes for a completely different reason, or perhaps for a more similar reason than he would've liked to admit. Her face scrunched up when he continued to be silent.

"Nothing," he finally said, hiding a slight smile. He would never have guessed this thickheaded girl would ever be shy.

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_"I must admit, I did not believe I would be reborn so... tiny." Kyoshi's fingers touched the small girl's face. Kana stared up at the large woman, wonder crossing her face. She opened her mouth to speak, but the woman quickly silenced her. _

"Kana, you must take every advantage of your situations. You need to learn Firebending; you're on a Fire Nation ship. Use everything and anything to succeed. Nothing is forbidden when saving the world." The Waterbender opened her mouth to speak, but felt something brush her shoulder.

Kana's eyes snapped open. Her chest rose once, then froze in shock. A slight sigh escaped her lips as her hand brushed against the metal of the ship. Swallowing slightly, she was certain that the dream she just had was nothing but that. Kyoshi said to learn fire, when she hadn't even attempted to Earthbend! No, learning the elements out of order couldn't be a good idea. But... when would she ever be able to learn Firebending in a time where being the Avatar was a death sentence?

Slowly she turned herself all the way around. Kana glared at Zuko's back for a moment, unease filling her. Even if the old Avatar was right, how could she go about asking to learn an element that wasn't her own? No, he would know something was wrong. If he weren't so busy chasing Aang, the Fire Prince probably would have already figured out who she was. He was smart, but was too driven forward to understand that turning could lead you in a faster direction.

Kana flinched back when he turned suddenly, putting them face to face. A slight hiss escaped his throat as his face tightened into a scowl. She thought he had woken up for a moment, but after a few seconds realized he was still asleep. Zuko was simply having a nightmare. She wondered, was it about the Agni Kai with his father?

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Iroh was completely infuriating. Never before had the prince been tempted to isolate himself from his uncle. But ever since he had moved Kana into his room, she had been spending time with his uncle, therefore she was all he got to hear about from the old man. Her home, her pastimes—Zuko was appalled. Did the man think that he had nothing better to do than to learn about the trivial life of some prisoner?

His uncle was smart in the way he presented the information about the girl, but after so many times of him spouting off worthless information, Zuko decided it was a lie. _Know your enemy_, he said, _every bit helps in decoding what you need,_ he said, _her favorite food is seaweed cookies_, he said! A damn waste of time, for both of them!

That Water Tribe peasant had barely showed any ability to speak to him; how could her company be that enthralling? _Prisoners often have the best stories_, Iroh had laughed. Nothing could be more interesting than finding the Avatar, and their leads were completely dry. Right now they were being forced to simply wait and hope the Avatar would come for the girl, something that seemed less and less likely with each passing day.

When Zuko had questioned Kana about the lack of the Avatar's presence, she had simply smiled. That was enough for the prince to know he wouldn't seek her out. No, she had thought of everything that could hinder the completion of his goals. The only thing that seemed to be left out was the boy's reaction to knowing his friend was a prisoner. And when he found him, Zuko would make sure to use that to his advantage.

But right now, he was fairly certain his uncle was attempting to make those damn seaweed cookies for their prisoner. In fact, the chef had confirmed that Iroh had been cooking something in the kitchen, and had carried a platter of something out just a few minutes ago.

Taking large strides out of the heated kitchen, the prince made his way to his room. The soldiers' swept out of his way, knowing it was best not to disturb him when angry. Yet the clacking of his boots must have alerted his uncle, for he stood waiting for his nephew.

"Prince Zuko, you're just in time to try the new recipe our guest gave me."

"She isn't a guest, uncle!" Zuko snapped. "She is a prisoner, and that's how she'll be treated!"

"No, Zuko." The old man grimaced. "She is a _captive_, and an _asset_, not a _prisoner_. Which means she is a _guest_." His hotheaded nephew began to argue, but stopped with the fact that instead of being in a cell, the Waterbender was comfortably lounging in his room. His uncle watched him for a moment, before smiling with the knowledge that he won.

"Well then, hold this, would you?" Iroh said, placing the platter of Water Tribe cuisine in Zuko's hands. The prince barely had time to see the door swing inward, and Kana lunge forward. But the desired effect fell short when a smiling Iroh caught her instead. She had obviously been prepared for Zuko, and though the attack wouldn't have worked, it still would have put the Firebender in a sour mood.

"Zuko was distracted all day, but I didn't think that it was because his pretty captive was so enthusiastic!" The prince could feel his face flush a furious red. But as he looked up at the marble-like expression of Kana, he could see true distaste in the girl's eyes. Whether it was directed at the joke, or the idea of having anything to do with Zuko out of her own free will, was unclear.

Iroh, always the gentleman, helped her back to her feet with a warm smile. She didn't bother to look longer than she had to at the old man, but glared over at the Fire Prince. Seeing the platter he held, the Waterbender marched over and yanked the plate from his hands with a huff, not bothering to peer over her shoulder at the two Firebenders as she set the plate neatly on a table.

Iroh simply cleared his throat and started humming a Fire Nation wedding march softly. Kana didn't seem to get the reference, but Zuko did. Furious he stormed from his room and slammed the door shut violently. "Bastard old man."

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"Iroh, would you teach me Firebending techniques?"

The old war general chocked at Kana's words, pounding his chest wildly. After successfully swallowing the seaweed cookie, (that tasted a little too Fire Nation), he looked at the Waterbender warily. His eyes narrowed with distrust, and the girl could see him turn over her words carefully, trying to breathe meaning into her words. She made sure to keep her expression blank, stopping her face from twitching under his scrutiny.

"For what purpose would a Waterbender want to learn Firebending?"

"Perhaps it has too much influence in my life right now," Kana murmured, hands twisting nervously in her lap. As the old man glared at her suspiciously, she could imagine only two thoughts that might be going through his mind. The first would be more plausible: she wanted to dissect the fighting style to know best how to defeat it... Yet there was another possibility, a much more dangerous thought: not one Avatar came back, but two.

"No. Why do you want to learn Firebending?" Kana took a thin breath through her nose, barely able to keep the panic from overflowing. This had to be the lie that stopped Iroh from voicing his suspicions to Zuko; his nephew would have an epiphany at the strangeness of his prisoner.

"I need to understand. Fire is the essence of life, but so is water. How can the two, Yin and Yang, be so different yet the same? I need to understand fire, because I can't understand water." Iroh watched Kana for a moment, contemplating her words, and carefully arranged face. He continued to stare before taking a sip of tea, Iroh is never without tea. The Water Tribe girl felt her shoulders slump in relief, she had told the lie, by telling the truth.

"Even if I would be willing to teach you, Zuko would never allow it."

"But if he agreed?"

"...Then I see no reason not to."

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Kana sat on the bed waiting. Zuko usually came in at around this time. She would always put on the facade of sleeping to keep from speaking with him. But tonight was different; tonight she would convince Zuko to let her learn Firebending. After all, this Water Tribe peasant had what he wanted most. So She remained where she was and watched as the prince walked into his room.

His eyes widened slightly, then narrowed in suspicion. Both waited for the other to speak, but neither said a word. Little more than a few sentences each day was said between them; any more words seemed abnormal. They stared at each other trying to weigh each other down, yet nothing changed between the two.

Finally, the prince just turned around without another glance. Kana's brows raised in wonder. She really thought he would have started the conversation. She opened her lips to speak, but nothing came out. Kana closed her eyes tightly, rubbing her tongue against the roof of her mouth. _Kana, you must take every advantage of your situation._

"Zuko, I want Iroh to teach me how to fight like a Firebender." The princes' back tensed.

"No."

A smile appeared on her face suddenly. "Perhaps you should listen to my proposition before saying no."

Zuko turned around then, the typical scowl even heavier than usual over his expression.

"You don't have anything that I wa-"

"I can help you track the Avatar."

"Oh, and where would you have me start, then?" Zuko snapped at the girl.

"The city of Omashu."

**Now don't get all angry about her "betrayal"! How else was she supposed to get him to let her learn Firebending? XD**


	6. Chapter 6: Imprisoned

**Legal Necessities: If I owned this, than I would laugh like a maniac.**

Chapter 6: Imprisoned

Kana panicked as Zuko rushed forward. She just couldn't understand the bending style. His fist shot out and, in alarm, she smacked it away, swung her arm in an arc, and rushed forward. Her shoulder slammed under his ribs, flinging him away from her.

The Waterbender felt a quick rap on her shoulder blades, delivered from Iroh. She winced, partly from the sting, but mostly at the fact that this was the sixteenth time she failed.

"Firebending's aggressive, vicious, and direct moves mirror fire's all-consuming nature," Iroh explained again. "Like a predatory animal, a Firebender tracks his prey until it exposes a weakness, then charges in for the kill." Kana grimaced as her captor rose with a snarl, yet both slipped into their stances without a word.

"Wider," the old man ordered. She followed his instructions silently. "Now breathe. Fire comes from the breath, not from the muscle."

The girl nodded once in determination, holding her position as Zuko sprinted directly toward her. This time, she was the one to get knocked down.

"Better. Now you just need to learn how to stay upright!" Iroh laughed, clasping her shoulder. Kana's face darkened with contempt. She _would_ figure out fire, and when she did, she would be the greatest Firebender in the world - and _no one_ was going to stand in her way.

"The faster I do that, the faster I point you in the right direction towards the Avatar," she snapped, rising to her feet and getting back into her pose. She faced Zuko with a scowl matching his own.

Kana just had to dodge basic attacks to end her first day of training. Brow creased in concentration, she nodded once to her adversary and he raced towards her. She dropped almost immediately. The girl suppressed a furious shriek, striking the metal deck angrily.

"If one does not plow, there will be no harvest. The work will pay off, Kana. Just give it time, and you will reap the rewards," Iroh murmured gently with a slight smile.

"But it shouldn't be this hard! I'm-" _the Avatar__-_"trying so hard!" she shouted, jaw twitching with each word.

The old man looked down at her for a second before turning away. "Again."

The Waterbender grit her teeth and lurched to her feet, _yet again_. Her breath came out sharply, causing the old general's eyes to narrow. "Remember your breathing!" His warning came too late, and she was slammed to the floor. Her fists trembled at her sides when she glanced up to see Zuko's mocking smirk.

"Again."

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Zuko paced in his uncle's empty room with a contemplative frown. He needed a place to think, and the Water Tribe girl had taken the only place where he could without being scrutinized. But tonight Iroh was playing Pai Sho with the captain, and the two things Iroh loved most in the world were tea and Pai Sho. He would arrive relatively soon, which is what the Prince was hoping for.

Zuko needed his uncle to talk him out of something. Sometimes he was too ambitious, too willing to risk everything to capture the Avatar. So he waited as patiently as he knew how, going back and forth in Iroh's crowded room. When the door creaked open, he kept up his pacing, knowing his nerves were too fried to stay still.

"What a pleasant surprise!" the Dragon of the West exclaimed upon seeing his nephew. "You do not usually come to visit me, nephew. May I ask what the occasion is?"

"I need your council, uncle. It's about the girl." Zuko turned to Iroh, finally stopping his stomping around the room. The old man's face went serious, and he began to stoke at his beard.

"If you are developing conflicting emotions about the girl, perhaps we should move her."

"She propositioned me tonight," Zuko explained,"She said that she would help us track the Avatar if I let her learn Firebending techniques." The prince stared at his uncle for a moment as the other man visibly let out a breath. He hadn't noticed that Iroh had been holding it, or that his muscles had tensed considerably.

"What's wrong, uncle?"

"Nothing. Just the way you worded what you said." Zuko looked at his uncle blankly for a moment, before his cheeks lit up.

"This is no time for jokes, uncle! I need to know what to do!" he snapped angrily. It was just like Iroh to kid about a serious matter.

"I think you are overthinking things, nephew. I see no reason not to let our guest get some fresh air."

"Our guest could capsize the ship!" Zuko hollered, throwing up his hands in frustration. "You don't seem to understand the consequences of bringing her closer to her bending element!"

"Zuko, a Waterbender of her stature could easily sink us without being able to see the water. And may I remind you that we have completely lost the Avatar's scent. She might be the only way to find it again." The Prince let out a snarl, snatched up the closest object, and hurled it at the wall. It shattered, clinking piece by piece to the ground.

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Kana peered at the map placed in front of her, hip placed on the corner of the table. Her nose wrinkled at the chart, places she had never seen before littered everywhere. In fact, many places that she had known about were gone, nonexistent on the paper. This kind of directory would be utterly useless in tracking Aang. He would still have his map from the Air Nomads, which was a hundred years out of date.

"Zuko, you do realize this map will be completely useless, right?"

"What do you mean useless?" he shouted, receiving a disapproving look from his uncle.

"I mean, he's going to be using an outdated map. He won't know half of these places exist, and believe multiple places still do."

"So what do you need to actually be of help?" he snapped.

"A _very _old map," she murmured, nibbling on a nail. "Who is currently the ruler of Omashu?"

"I believe it is King Bumi," Iroh said, strolling forward. Kana's hands froze on the trail she was tracing. Her shoulders stiffened, and eyes sharpened. She let her hair slide in front of her face, breath hitching slightly. The Waterbender wet her lips slightly, and forced a slight smile.

"He'll stay there for a few days, then should fly in this general direction," she continued, hoping that neither of the two men had caught her odd behavior, but knowing that both did. "Is there anything in this area that's noteworthy?" Kana asked, circling a small expanse of land and water.

She felt a bead of sweat drip down her spine as Zuko glared at her with narrowed eyes. Her fingers twitched, and she tilted her head to look imploringly at the scarred prince. They stared into each other's eyes, neither looking away. With a chuckle, Iroh knocked the two out of their staring match, and back into reality.

"There's a holding prison for Earthbenders here," the prince said, pointing at the chart. "Other than that, no."

"Than that's were we should go. Aang would have a personal interest in that place."

"Oh? And why's that?" Iroh asked, looking down at the Fire Nation-made map.

"Can you make a guess?" the prisoner questioned with a cheerless smile.

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They were on their way to the location Kana had specified, and Zuko couldn't help but feel aggravated. He had never worked well with others, and the circumstances made it even more difficult than usual. This was suppose to be _his_ responsibility, _his _retribution. How was he supposed to gain his father's respect by following, the untrustworthy, advice from a Water Tribe peasant?

"Is something wrong?" the tan-skinned girl asked from across the table.

He looked up carefully, arranging his face back to normal. He had been scowling, and didn't want her to know anything more about him than she already did. "Everything's fine."

"Just because you're a prince doesn't mean you should be ungrateful for other people's hard work," Kana said, brow creasing.

He stared at her for a second, then looked down again, actually paying attention to what he had been glaring at. For a second he was caught off guard. Was she really upset because he might not be enjoying the fish he had in front of him? "I don't dislike the food, Kana."

Her lips pursed, a look of displeasure still clear on her face. His own mouth turned down in a frown. "Not every expression I make has to do with being discontent with other's work," he snapped angrily. "In fact, I happen to be enjoying the meal Cook prepared."

"Then perhaps you should show your appreciation," the Waterbender hissed back.

Zuko glared at her, another staring contest started between the two. They sat there silently, just waiting for the other to give.

The steel door opened behind the Prince, finally making Kana avert her eyes. Zuko followed her lead, turning his head to see soldiers walk in to gather the plates. He considered the girl across from him for a moment, and barely managed to suppress a sigh. "You."

"Yes, Prince Zuko?'

"Tell Cook, thank you for the meal. It was delicious."

"Uh- of course, Prince Zuko." The men quickly gathered up the dishes and hurried out of the room, and the prince was near certain that he would be the focus of gossip tonight. But that wasn't why he had done what he had done. He looked across the table at the Waterbender. "Are you happy?"

Kana's lips perked up in a smile.

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Kana felt her chest tighten when Zuko came back to the room. In his hand he held a necklace with a beautifully carved Water Tribe symbol. She had just been lounging on the bed when he had barged in, a smirk on his face. Standing at his unusual arrival, her lips pursed.

"Where did you get that?" she asked attentively.

"It looks like taking your advice has actually paid off, Kana. I'm one step closer to finding the Avatar." The Waterbender glanced at the symbol for a moment, and her face fell. She had only seen it a few times before, but she knew how important it was.

_I'm sorry__,__ Katara._

"Do you even know what that is, Zuko?"

"All I need to know is that it's important to the girl who travels with the Avatar." Kana bit her lip indecisively. If she told the prince about the necklace, he might be more inclined to keep it. If she didn't make an attempt to take it from him, then her betrayal would seem all the worse.

"Can I hold on to it?" she asked, twitching when Zuko's hand tightened defensively around it.

"Why?"

"It's Water Tribe. You shouldn't be touching it considering your outlook on my people," she spat, venom dripping from each of her words. Kana herself didn't realize how deeply it had cut to be constantly put down because she wasn't Fire Nation.

Apparently, neither did Zuko. He looked at her in surprise, but tossed it to her nonetheless without saying anything. She snatched it out of the air, fingers curling around it gently, and she made an effort to make it seem like the touch of the pendant didn't scathe her.

Betrayal was a hard thing to do to friends, no matter how long you've known them. Hopefully she would see them soon though. Hopefully she wouldn't be stuck on this ship for much longer. But Kana put that thought behind her. She would stay aboard the Fire Nation vessel so long as she didn't know Firebending. And with the way her training hit off, it looked like she would remain in Zuko's clutches for a while.

**I'm watching Legend of Korra and I want to finish this so I can start on the other Avatar! But I still have 60 chapters left Q.Q Oh well, hope you enjoyed!**


	7. Chapter 7: The Spirit World (part one)

Legal Necessities: If I owned this, I would be forgetting how horrible it is not to own this.

Chapter 7: The Spirit World (The Winter Solstice, Part One)

"You should be meditating," Zuko snapped, aggravated by Kana's gaze burning two holes into his back. There was silence for a few minutes, making the Firebender shift uncomfortably.

"I'm not feeling well," the girl started slowly. "I think I'll rest today. You should go get your uncle. By the time you're back, I'll be feeling better." He heard the fabric of his bed rustle. When he stood, she had rolled over to face the metal wall, in her usual sleeping pattern.

With a grunt, Zuko walked from his room to go find his uncle like Kana had suggested. He contemplated sending the ship's medic in to check on the Waterbender, but decided against it. She hadn't been exhibiting any signs of being too sick. In fact, she hadn't been showing any signs of illness at all in the morning.

Walking from his ship and into the lush green forest, he couldn't take his mind off of how close he was to the Avatar. He could only imagine how little time it would take to capture him and be back home, and it was thanks to that Water Tribe peasant that he was closer than he had ever been before. It made him angry that he needed her help, yet at the same time glad. His father would see his using the girl as being smart; after all, using every tool at his disposal was practical. Unlike his-

"Uncle!" Zuko hollered, brushing aside a branch obscuring Iroh from view. Arms behind his head, the old man sat in the hot springs, eliciting a sigh of exasperation from his nephew.

"What are you doing? We need to keep going! I don't want to lose the Avatar's trail because of your lazing about!"

"Relax, Prince Zuko. We have all the time in the world to find the Airbender," the old man breathed without opening his eyes. "You should learn to enjoy the little things, nephew. Just let all your problems soak away. I'm sure Kana would agree."

"My problems can't be soaked away! We need to go now! Get out of the water!" Zuko all but roared, his face scrunching in aggravation. It was just like his uncle to be wasting his time for stupid reasons. Putting a hand to his forehead angrily, he let out a less agrivated groan. "Be back at the ship in thirty minutes or I'm leaving you behind."

Iroh opened his eyes at his nephews' words, an eyebrow rising questioningly. Zuko just turned on his heel with a huff, and headed back to the ship.

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Kana felt a chill creep over her skin. She curled her arms over her body in an attempt to stay warm. _"It's like a scar." _ A spasm ran down her spine, and her teeth clicked from the force of it. _"What happened here?" _

_Fire Nation._

"How could I let this happen?" she whispered with a shiver.

_It wasn't your fault._

"Yes it is, I wasn't there to stop it!"

_Aang turned around furiously, his eyes glinting in the sun. Kataras' face was twisted with sadness, and it made his chest compress with sadness. It really was his fault; he had not only taken himself from the world for a hundred years, but Kana too. How could this not be his fault?_

A gasp ripped itself from the Waterbender's throat, the vision of Aang so clear in her mind. At that moment she had seen everything that he had, and felt complete and utter revulsion from the both of them. She had been standing on a piece of land in a beautiful forest, and it had been burned to nothing but ash and charred wood.

_"Hey Aang, are you ready to be cheered up?" A sharp pain sprouted from his temple, making him jump to his feet in surprise. Katara had just flung an acorn into his head, a small smile lighting up her face._

"How is that supposed to make me feel better?" Kana moaned, feeling Aang's mimicry from miles away.

_"These acorns are everywhere, it means the forest will grow back!" the other Water Tribe girl said jubilantly. It made the Airbender wince slightly - not enough for his two companions to notice, but he still did. Looking down at the ground, he crouched down to pick up one of the small acorns, hiding his face from view._

_Katara didn't look like Kana - in fact, she didn't resemble the other girl in any way, and maybe that was why she reminded him so much of his old friend._

The Waterbender arched up in pain, rolling into a sitting position. Sweat beaded on her brow, and she couldn't shake the feeling of nausea as she stood. The door opened, making her eyes go wide. In stepped the person she had never expected to see in the living world. Brilliant red and white paint, green robes and golden fans- a tall figure strolled into the steel room, halting at the sight of her.

Wobbling forward, Kana felt a foot fall out from beneath her, and hands barely stopped her from tumbling from the floor. She peered up in uncertainty. _Kyoshi?_

"Kana?" a worried voice called out, but it wasn't a woman's voice. Though the Waterbender had heard it, so many times in fact that it seemed impossible she couldn't identify it. Reaching up slight to the painted face, knees wobbling, her eyes began to close. With a rushed breath the mirage faded, leaving a worried-looking prince in Kyoshi's place. Kana felt her legs buckle, and sagged into the Firebender's arms.

"Zuko," she breathed wearily, "did you find your uncle?"

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Adrenaline filled the prince's entire body as the Water Tribe girl went limp in his arms. Her breathing went ragged as he picked up her sagging form, and gently placed her on the bed. Rushing to the door, he threw it open, honing in on the nearest soldier.

"You there! Fetch the medic immediately!" he commanded the startled man. The armor man ran quickly away, not even turning to acknowledge Prince Zuko, who turned back to the sick girl laying on his mattress. He slowly approached her, taking a position at her side. Before he could decide what to do, the medic swept into the room, shoving Zuko aside. He waited as the man poked and prodded at Kana, doing Agni-knows-what. Arms crossed tightly across his chest, the Firebender let out an impatient breath.

The doctor stood slowly, confusion splashed across his face. "Prince Zuko, I cannot find anything wrong with this girl. It's almost like she simply fell into this fever."

"That's exactly what she did do!" the prince snapped angrily at the man, who bowed in apology quickly and left the room, shutting the door behind him. The Prince peered at Kana carefully for a minute, examining her closely. Her long brown hair soaked the pillow with sweat after the physician took it out of its bun. It was frightening to see her normally tan skin pale and clammy, her lips an unnatural shade of blue.

Zuko's thoughts swirled around the girl, making him reach over and brush the hair out of her face, letting his hand linger on her burning forehead. Her face clenched momentarily, making the Prince wince. As a Firebender he was used to hot skin, but there was no mistaking illness.

As the prince took away his hands, Kana's eyes snapped open. Her chest rose shakily once, lifting her spine off the bed, then, with one last strong breath, she sank back into the folds of the blanket. Her breathing leveled, the flush to her cheeks starting to return almost instantaneously. Her sleep turned from one that seemed frighteningly feverish to still and coma-like.

He had to get his uncle; he was the only other person that might be able to help.

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_"We are especially fearful tonight. As the Winter Solstice draws near, the lines between the the Spirit World and physical world begin to blur until they are almost nonexistent." _

_"Is that why..."_

_"Is that why what, Aang?" Katara asked, stepping up behind her friend._

_"Nothing, I just feel a little different, that's all. It must be all the Spirit energy," the Airbender responded, glancing at the setting sun. "I should probably go wait for Heibai," he stated before walking out of the protection of the building. He walked to the towns' gate, half of the village destroyed in the aftermath of the Spirit that has been terrorizing the town._

_The Avatar knew he should be concentrating, yet it felt as if he was only half present. As Aang stood there, a bit of nausea filling his stomach, in the confines of the trees he could see a great beast begin to take form. His chest compressed tightly in fear, yet it passed as the Great Spirit opened its maw in a scream. _

_Blue light flowed from the thing's mouth, illuminating the Avatars skin, and as he looked down there seemed to be a film covering his body. He flipped his arm over, examining the long, slender blue fingers coating his own. As he continued to glance over his skin, long dark tresses flowed down his shoulders. __**Kana.**_

Aang looked back up at the Spirit as the beast lifted him up in one of its four arms. It shot back into the forest, disappearing with the Airbender back into the Spirit World.

Kana's eyes burst open. The only image she could catch was the scarred visage of Zuko. Her breath gasped out, and she fell back down, but this time it was into the darkness instead of into the eyes of Aang.

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"Uncle! Uncle, where are you?" Zuko yelled, pushing past the same branch he had in the afternoon. But the entire scene was different - soldiers littered the now-empty hot springs, and the place where Iroh had been sitting was pushed up, the earth angled up into spikes. Apparently it was obvious to none but the Prince.

"My uncle was taken by Earthbender's!" Zuko roared in fury, making his men jump in surprise.

"Perhaps it was a landslide, Your Highness."

"Land doesn't slide uphill. Those rocks didn't move naturally." He marched back to his Komodo Rhino, where a very unconscious girl rested.

"Sir, maybe we should take her ba-"

"No. I'll need her to be as close as possible when I reach my uncle. That way, he can examine her immediately. If this is unnatural, then he'll be the one to know what's going on."

"Would you like us to accompany you, Prince Zuko?"

"No, I'll be faster on my own."

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"Kyoshi?"

"Hello, Avatar Kana. How have you been?"

"Where am I?"

"Aang dragged you partway into the Spirit World, when he experienced a sense of such sadness and guilt, it acted as a key to your entering the Spirit World. But you could not push your way through.

When he came here, he momentarily knocked you out of your stupor, and pulled you back in with enough force to allow you to come to me. You must remember that though you are two, you are also one. As the Solstice approaches, you both will be as close to a single entity as you will ever be. Unfortunately, this means your time here is short. When Aang leaves, so must you. You must go with Aang, before your time is up."

Kyoshi reached out a hand, and without a second thought, the Waterbender took her hand. The other woman pursed her lips, letting out a whistle that seemed to reverberate through both the Spirit, and real world.

From the ground arose a large blue Badgermole, matching the same color as the two Avatars. Kyoshi took a knee, and quickly pushed Kana up onto her Spirit Guide. The beast reared its blind head, taking a few strides forward before diving into the ground.

Azure tunnels lined the Earth's crust, as the two sped along; how far was impossible to tell in the dark confines of dirt. Kana grasped at the fur of the large animal, but at that moment she felt scales instead of hair, making her glance down. Glowing arrows resided on her arms, and she was flying in the sky above the clouds, a writhing dragon as her mount.

She let out a scream of surprise, unable to comprehend for that one moment that she had stepped into Aang's body. With a deep breath, the Waterbender dragged herself back to the Badgermole. She let a shuddering sigh escape her lips, clutching tighter to the beast's reigns. It was becoming more and more difficult to separate herself from the everlasting presence of her friend.

Kana needed to get back to her physical body, and soon.

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A single large bolder rose over Iroh's chained fists, the very fists he had used to burn one of his captors. Lips clenched shut, he watched as the rock seemed to drop in slow motion, only to be tossed aside by a jet of flame. A Fire Nation boot swung down over the chains, snapping the metal and freeing him from all but the shackles.

"Excellent form, Prince Zuko."

"Now's not the time for anything but."

"Give up," the Earthbending leader growled. "It's five against two, you're clearly outnumbered!"

The lines of pure concentration on his nephew's face made Iroh grin. "Trust me when I say a single grain of rice can tip the balance."

With these words, Zuko leapt into the fray, disposing of the first man without even bending. It seemed those lessons with Kana had been teaching his nephew about restraint - a lesson that Iroh knew all too well would determine the outcome of the battle.

The fight had begun, streams of fire erupting, earth flying at the heads of nearly everyone present. They danced their fight with earth as extra limbs, but no matter the way it happens, fire always scorches the ground. Which incidentally, was where his previous captors lay after the beating they had received.

"It is good to see you, Prince Zuko. I knew a tracker as skilled as yourself would find me," the old general said, patting his nephew on the shoulder.

"Praise must wait for later, Uncle. I need your help," Zuko said with a look of anxiety. The old man nodded for him to continue, and the Prince led him by the shoulder up the hill he had come from. "It's Kana. Something's wrong with her, but our medic says that it didn't come from this realm."

Iroh quickened his pace. It was a considerable feat considering his physique, but when it came to the wellbeing of others, the old man knew no limit. As the two Firebenders crested the hill, they found the young girl still on the Komodo Rhino's saddle, her hands tied there to keep her from falling off. Iroh felt a disappointed look build up as he approached; yet upon inspection, he noticed her wrists weren't raw.

Her face was calm, no expression apparent. Wherever Kana was, it wasn't here. But Iroh had an idea about where she was.

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The Badgermole and the new Avatar surfaced in front of a temple built on top of a volcano. They halted at the very edge of the island. Kana dismounted, unable to take her eyes from the great building. It seemed so familiar in a way that didn't make sense, yet at the same time, it did.

She rested her hand on the blind Spirit Guide unthinkingly, a jolt traveling through her body. A blinding flash lit up her vision for a moment, a burning comet exploding in her mind. Kana fell to her knees in shock, curling her hand in the creature's fur.

"Wha-" She hissed through clenched teeth, rubbing her temples. The beast pushed slightly at her side, making her glance up. It lifted itself up onto it's hind legs, reached out towards the Avatar, and placed a gentle claw on her forehead.

Aang was in the temple farther up the island, looking at a statue of Roku. The dragon that he had ridden to the statue extended a whisker to touch the same place the Badgermole had touched Kana. His eyes lit up upon contact with the great slithering beast.

_A sliver of light hit the floor, the sun rising and dipping below the horizon as the light moved. It was unmistakable that the light represented a calendar, and as the day of the Solstice arrived, it hit the statue's eyes._

"_That's how I can contact Roku!" Aang exclaimed excitedly._

"I don't understand. How does this affect me?" The Waterbender looked imploringly at the Spirit Guide. With a rumble from the beast's chest, another burst of light clouded her vision, this time a vision that had nothing to do with the current Avatars.

"_As the Solstice arrives, your two souls will merge upon proximity," Kyoshi informed her younger self. "Once you are close enough to Aang, when he reaches Roku, you will be able to communicate with me. Reach the shore by the same time the sun hits Roku's eyes, and you will be near enough to your other self to reach me for as long as we need."_

Kana opened her mouth to speak, but before she could ask the Spirit Guide another question, a slight tug wrenched at her. She glanced down at her arms, the blue beginning to fade into nothingness. A gust of wind whooshed past her, and her skin seemed to blow away like sand in the wind.


	8. Chapter 8: Avatar Kyoshi (part two)

**Legal Necessity: I soooooo own this, is what I'd say if I actually did own it.**

Chapter 8: Avatar Kyoshi (Winter Solstice, part 2)

Kana's eyes fluttered open tiredly. Cold metal pressed against her cheek. Her fingers curled slowly around a chain that linked her to the saddle of what appeared to be a Komodo Rhino. Blinking animatedly, her body shifted against the cold steel, and she moved her head to peer up. She jerked away in surprise at the face she saw shifting away from the contact they had shared.

"You're just in time to help us find where the Avatar is heading, Kana," Zuko said, glancing down at the Waterbender. But she already knew where Aang was going: Crescent Island.

"Unfortunately for your friend, we already know where to start looking. He should be more inconspicuous when leaving a town."

The small group approached a small town, half of it destroyed. A slight shiver traveled up Kana's spine. She recognized the tiny village as the one Aang had been taken from by Hei Bai. At least Zuko was right in the place to begin his search for Cresent Island, but…

"They're going to lie to you," she said, sitting up straight in order to keep as little contact with Zuko as possible. But she was still incredibly aware of how her hands were tied, and his arms at her sides were the only things keeping her from tipping over.

"What do you mean they're going to lie?" he snapped.

"She's right, Nephew. From the looks of this place, if the Avatar helped, the townspeople would be loyal. Not to mention we'd have no way to know if they were telling the truth or not." Kana hid her face before smirking. Everything was going as planned, and knowing Zuko, he would play right into her hands.

"Fine then, you're going to tell me exactly what you're thinking if you want to continue with your lessons." the prince said into her ear. It was a mild surprise that there was no malice behind his words, yet that only made her lips perk up even higher. _Fire is predatory in nature. It stalks its prey and waits for the opportune moment to strike._

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The young Avatar and his Water Tribe companions had left around two hours ago, and yet, the village leader of Senlin just couldn't sleep, even knowing Hei Bai was going to leave the little town alone. As was his usual routine when dealing with insomnia, he decided to go outside to clear his head with fresh air - but what he saw nearly gave the man a heart attack.

A young Water Tribe girl clung to the arm of a Fire Nation boy with a scar on his face. The girl had one of the most disarming smiles he had ever seen, while the boy had a more menacing look to him. Surprised, the village leader took a few defensive steps back.

"Please," the girl begged, "we need to find Aang."

The leader of the village stopped at the sound of the girl's voice. "Fire Nation isn't welcome here."

"The Avatar needs a Firebending teacher," the boy snapped harshly, making the man wince. The Water Tribe girl stood on her toes to whisper something in the boy's ear, making him visibly relax, if not a bit forcibly.

"Please, we got separated from the others. Zuko and I led a band of soldiers away from Aang's trail, and we were only just able to lose them ourselves. Do you know where they went?"

The girl cocked her head imploringly, something flashing behind her eyes that made a bead of sweat form on his brow.

"They're going to Crescent Island. It's located in the Fire Nation. They hoped to get there before sundown."

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"Of all the things you've done in your sixteen years, Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish!" Iroh exclaimed, feeling dread growing in the pit of his stomach.

"Your uncle's right. We could always find Aang later," Kana agreed, and as the old general noticed her finger twitch. She must be more concerned about herself - being taken by the Fire Nation would be much worse than being held here.

With a nod, Iroh opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a cry from a crewman. He glanced up, and sure enough, the Avatar's flying bison was soaring through the sky. A spark of hope ignited in the old man - they might be able to steer the Airbender away from his destination.

"Blockade!" his nephew shouted, dragging him from his thoughts.

"We need to stop; we're on a collision course," Kana warned, looking towards the two lines of moving ships, a level look on her face. Of course she wouldn't be afraid of sinking - she would be the only one to escape so long as nothing stabbed her.

"He isn't turning around," Zuko hissed, looking at the bison. "Run the blockade!" he ordered the crew. They all ran off to do his bidding, and only Iroh and the Waterbender heard his next words.

"I'm sorry, Uncle, but this has to be done."

That was when the first fireballs rained down all around of them, one even striking the ship. With a jolt, the prince marched up to their captive with a red cape. He flung his arms around her, making sure it was secure before pulling a helmet over her face. The old general looked at his nephew with a nod of approval. He was making sure that Zhou wouldn't notice her presence on board.

He was getting smarter.

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"They want you to lead them to the Avatar." Kana said, making Zuko's hands tighten around the railing. He knew this already; it would make sense to follow him. With the engines damaged from the beating it took from the fireballs, a large plume of smoke trailed behind them.

"If they want to follow our trail of smoke, I say let them. Ready a boat!" he yelled. Looking at the still red-clad Waterbender, his eyes narrowed. "You're coming with me."

"What?" she asked, blinking rapidly in surprise.

"If they decide to search the ship, then we can't have you on it," he said, turning away as she nodded. There was something wrong with her, but Zuko couldn't place it. Usually she was difficult throughout everything, yet now she was cooperating with nearly everything he said. Did she want the Avatar to rescue her? No, it went deeper than that. But how far down did it go?

"Prince Zuko, the boat is ready!" a soldier declared, breaking him from his contemplation. Without another thought he took the girl by the -shackled- arm, and led her to the back of the vessel.

"Keep going straight. I'm going to use the smoke as cover."

"Be careful, Zuko. It's not just you whom you have to keep safe," his uncle said, stroking his beard carefully. The prince glanced at the girl by his side for a moment before nodding.

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"Kana, it's good to see you again," Kyoshi said, peering down at the girl that she had been reborn into, making Kana look up in awe. All around her was nothing but cracked earth and cloudy skies, a single leafless tree standing off in the distance. This was the real Spirit World, not like being stuck in an unending darkness, then pushed back into the physical world without a body.

"You said we needed to discuss something?" she said, snapping out of the sheer amazement at the strange place. The facepainted woman nodded once, her face never moving from the clear expression.

"I have something very important to tell you, Kana - something that could not be said in the time given to us before. One hundred years ago, Fire Lord Sozin used a comet to start a war - the same war that has been raging on for a hundred years."

"How did he use a comet to do that?"

"It is much like how the Waterbender's draw strength from the moon, or how Firebender's draw strength from the sun. But instead of the sun, they harness the power of the comet, becoming stronger than you could ever imagine."

"And now Zuko's father wants to use it to end the war," Kana murmured, drawing the conclusion before the Earthbender could.

"Yes, it will arrive before the end of the summer. If you wish to balance the world, you must defeat Ozai before the comet arrives."

Kana swallowed, unable to speak. How would she be able to learn all the elements before the end of summer?

"You have done it before, child, and you will do it again."

"And Aang?"

"His fate is tied with yours, but you must not rely on him too much. One of you will have to-"

"I know! I know... But if I can, I'd like to keep that from happening as long as possible."

The old Avatar looked at her new body silently, her thoughts unreadable on her face. "Very well, child. It is time for us to part. Hold what I have said close to your heart: in order to achieve peace you must be able to sacrifice, be it possessions or people."

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"What did he throw you into?" the Waterbender asked Prince Zuko as he entered.

"He didn't throw me into anything," he snapped, aggravation radiating off of him in waves.

"There's a bruise on your face. Airbender's don't strike others; the only way to get a bruise from one of them is by getting knocked into something."

The prince glared at Kana for a moment, his usual scowl deeper than normal. She was smart. "Down the stairs," he growled, starting up the small cruiser to lead them back to his uncle. There was a clacking of chains behind him, making him turn around swiftly. A pang stung his side, making him clutch at it with a hiss. He had fractured a rib on his trip down the stairs.

"I could help with that, you know. I am a healer." The blue-eyed girl smiled then, raising her shackles. "But I'd need my hands... And some water."

Zuko's eyes narrowed almost immediately. "I've dealt with worse than this. I don't need your help."

Kana's nose flared slightly, though she did gain from him a sliver of respect by not flinching at the mention of his scar. Even if it was thought to be a simple training accident, it was still an uncomfortable topic for most.

"The rib you could deal with just fine, I'm sure, but the bruise on your cheek? I wonder what I could make people think happened... Or maybe just your uncle? It wouldn't be that hard to make up a little fib."

"I don't respond well to threats."

"It really depends on how you define threat." Kana smirked dryly. "How bad could it be, really? You'd no longer be in pain, and I would be able to bend-"

The girl hesitated for a second, a strange look covering her face. She was uncertain of her next words, but nothing she could say would make Zuko change his mind. He opened his mouth to say these exact words, but froze in shock as he saw the real reason for the peculiar expression Kana wore.

She had started to cry, not but a second after she had been so cocky. Tears leaked out of her lavender blue eyes, fogging the usual crystal clear color.

Zuko was stunned. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen a girl cry. His sister got angry, her friend Ty Lee just smiled excruciatingly wide, and the last of the trio, Mai, never did anything. None of them ever cried.

The Prince swallowed hard as Kana swiped furiously at her eyes, barely managing with the shackles clinging to her wrists. It made him feel as if he was _wrong, _or _bad, _or _heartless_. But most of all, it made him feel _angry_. A few tears shouldn't weaken his resolve or make him feel awful. He knew what Azula would say - that he was pathetic.

"Kana…"

**Hola friendola's! I recently got a tumblr account! So if there is anything you'd like to see, have updates about my fics, or just message me, than that is now an option on how to reach me! Just check my account for the details!**


	9. Chapter 9: The Waterbending Scroll

**Legal Necessities: I think you guys got the gist that I don't own this.**

Chapter 9: The Waterbending Scroll

_Crocogator tears._ That's what her mother had called it. Crying in order to get something, but not really being sad. _Lying with your eyes,_ she'd wink. Though Kana had never tried to use Crocogator tears before, apparently it worked wonders. Amazing really, how just a few drops of water could sway somebody so much.

Fire blasted towards her face. She raised her arms, hearing the sizzle of flames hitting water. A tiny smirk rested over her face. She was getting much better since Zuko allowed her the use of basic Waterbending. Iroh had even congratulated her; he said she was close to a breakthrough.

" You aren't getting wide enough strokes. Have you been doing your stretches properly?"

"I do them every day," Kana said with a slight frown. She wasn't as nimble as the fighting style required her to be. Waterbending was about letting go and flowing through the movements. It didn't translate well into the sharp demanding strikes of Firebending.

"Give me your leg," Zuko commanded, walking up to her. Face scrunching into a weird expression, she crossed her arms in defiance.

"Give me your leg or the lesson is over."

Kana hesitated for a second before reluctantly lifting up a foot. Zuko yanked her ankle onto his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Kana squealed, trying to pull away. The prince latched onto her thigh, keeping her from escaping.

"You need help with your flexibility. A lot of the advanced moves require you to swing your leg higher than you can get it." Searching her captor's face, the Waterbender found no ulterior motive and felt herself relax. He moved a little closer, pushing upwards to get a better stretch until her muscles begin to strain. After a minute, he dropped her leg and requested the other.

She did what he asked without protest, and he repeated his previous actions. But before he could finish, the ship made a sharp turn. Zuko tried to keep them balanced by grabbing on tighter to Kana, only succeeding in making sure that she fell with him. She barely had time to scream at him to let her go as they began to tumble to the metal floor.

He let go too late. They continued to fall, and she dizzily registered horror before she hit the floor heavily—her hands somehow tightly gripping Zuko's arms. She didn't let go as she landed, sprawling across him and effectively straddling his stomach.

They lay there, completely shell shocked, noses nearly touching. Time seemed to slow each moment they stayed in the same position, staring into each other's eyes. After a second of this, both finally came to their senses simultaneously. Kana physically recoiled, and Zuko propelled himself up, dumping the girl off his lap.

Both of their faces were a bright shade of red. Without looking at the Waterbender that had been on top of him, Zuko grabbed her arm and yanked her up. He pulled her along behind him. She usually would have complained or at least yanked away, but she couldn't stand the thought of having to speak to him after such… embarrassment.

"What is going on? Why have we changed course?" Zuko snapped, barging into the captains' bridge.

"Well you see, Nephew," Iroh started, staring at his game of Pai-Sho, "it seems that I have lost the most important lotus tile and I-"

"That's why you changed course?" Kana shrieked, making everyone jump in surprise at the even-tempered girl's outburst. "A lotus tile is the reason I fell on top of-" She cut herself off quickly, taking a deep breath before saying anything else. "I was in the middle of a very difficult Firebending technique, and slammed into the rails. It was very painful," she lied, evening out her expression.

Iroh stared at her with narrow eyes, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "I did not think you would be one of the people who underestimate the importance of the lotus tile."

"Uncle!"

"I just need to take a quick look at the market, and once I find the lotus tile I can go on with my life."

Both Kana and Zuko let out an exasperated sigh, the prince's actually coming out as smoke in his frustration. The Waterbender took a more direct route by marching up to the Pai-Sho table and sliding one of Captain Jee's tiles across the board. They all looked down with a shocked face: no one had ever done this before!

"You lose, old man."

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"You let him buy a Tsungi horn?" Zuko snapped, watching one of his men carry it onto the ship.

"Well, I wasn't going to let him, but when he mentioned that you were a natural at it… I couldn't resist," Kana said with a grin, making his uncle laugh.

"I let you go so that he wouldn't get anything besides that stupid lotus tile."

"He wanted to buy fifty other things, including vases, scrolls, and, for some reason, a chest full of seashells!"

"Well I'm glad this trip was a complete waste of time _for everyone_!"

"It's not my fault we couldn't find the lotus tile!"

"Oh, what a handsome monkey." His uncle rushed towards a trading ship.

"You can't have the monkey either, Iroh!" Kana shouted, chasing after him with mock fury.

Zuko grimaced as the Waterbender ran after his uncle. He felt a smile try to sneak its way up his face, and quickly squashed it back down. It was rather comical to see an overweight Iroh race up the ramp so he wouldn't be caught.

It made him wince when she disappeared into the boat and a particularly large wave smashed into the docks. His Uncle had convinced him to allow the girl to go with them to the market unshackled. At first he was profusely against it, but after speaking with his uncle, he had to admit the truth: Kana was here because she wanted to be.

_"Are you insane?" He shouted, looking at the all-too-serious expression Iroh wore. "We have already taken risks by allowing her to be on the deck, there is no way she's going on land!"_

_"A young lady needs more socialization than we can offer. Besides, she would enjoy it. Don't you think she would be thankful of the great kindness this would show?"_

_"Do you trust her?"_

_"Of course not."_

_"What?" Zuko shouted in disbelief._

_"When you get to be my age, you will learn a great deal about people. Kana is manipulative and incredibly sharp-witted. Given the circumstances, I would sooner trust Azula."_

_"Then why-"_

_"I cannot trust her, but you can, Nephew. In your youth, you only see the path ahead of you, not the steps required to reach your destination. You are currently on a road linear to our guest's, but she has already mastered the path she wishes to go down. A path that requires your presence, Prince Zuko, and until you fulfill the part she has set for you, she will not leave." Zuko just stared at him, his uncle believed that as soon as Kana got what she wanted, she would – no, she could – leave._

"We lost the Water Tribe girl, and the little bald monk she was traveling with." The Prince snapped his attention back to two obvious pirates speaking.

"This monk - did he have an arrow on his head?"

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"Why do I have to come along? Couldn't I have just stayed in the ship?" Kana asked, shifting uncomfortably against the ropes biting into her wrists. Aang had done what she asked so far, but seeing her would definitely make him try to rescue her, and she couldn't be having that right now. She was so close to grasping Firebending; there wasn't anything that should come before that.

"Because every time I wave you in his face, his focus wavers. Eventually he's going to give me the advantage."

"You're never going to have an advantage, Zuko. You don't know the first thing about fighting an Airbender."

"Everyone makes mistakes. Even the Avatar."

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Katara had taught Aang what she knew about Waterbending, but it just didn't seem like he was taking it to heart. She understood why, though. It was hard to lose someone close. Maybe it was even worse knowing they were alive, and not having a clue about their fate. But at least Kana was alive and safe so long as she could be used against him. And she still could be, easily.

That's why she had taken the scroll. If they could fly through all these moves, then there would be nothing keeping her friend's mind on the other Waterbender. It was a long shot, and probably just hopeful thinking, but anything that reminded him of her was just going to make it worse. That's why she had to master these moves, so they could move on.

"Come on water, work with me here! It's for a good cause!" she shouted yet again at the flowing river. She knew she must have been making a ruckus, but honestly, who was around to hear-

"You have to leave, now!" a feminine voice pleaded behind her. Katara whipped around in a panic, jaw dropping open when she saw who it was.

"Oh Spirits, Kana?" she shouted, running up to her. The first thing Katara noticed was the bindings on Kana'swrists, which she quickly removed. The Avatar clutched at her shoulders, shaking her slightly to get her attention.

"Go get Aang and leave, don't wait a single second!"

"What, aren't you coming with me?"

"Just trust me, Katara. I know what I'm doing. You only have a few minutes, so go!" And with that, she disappeared as quickly as she came into the forest.

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Kana fled into the trees, the darkness completely encasing her. She made sure to keep close to the river; there would have to be a slight struggle to keep her pursuers busy, and give Aang time to escape. As she rushed forward, her legs fell out from under her, a root catching on her foot.

Kana slid in the mud, scraping her palms along the forest floor. As she climbed to her knees, a shadow loomed over her, making her roll back and kick out. There was an oomph as her feet made contact. Immediately she jumped up, making a run for it. She barely recognized that who she hit, had been a pirate. A whistle sounded behind her head, and she lunged to the side, a net catching on a tree only a few feet away.

She got back up and set off at a breakneck speed. Turning her head to look over her shoulder, she hit what felt like a solid wall of iron. She lashed out, but was caught in a firm hand. Fingers curled around her other wrist as she glared up.

"I'll save you from the pirates," Zuko growled, pushing her against a tree. He pulled a coil of rope from his belt, quickly securing her against the wood. Her lips pursed as he tied a knot tightly in the rope. "Tell me where he is and I wont put you back in a cell."

"Sorry, I don't know," she snapped back, turning her head away so she wouldn't have to look at him.

"Try to understand," he began again, this time with a rueful smile and a softer voice. "I need to capture him to restore something I've lost: my honor." Zuko circled around the tree, leaning forward to whisper in Kana's ear. "Perhaps in exchange I could give something you've always wanted."

"There's nothing you have that I want," she spat, straining away. His arm reached out, his hand cupping her chin gently and turning her face towards his. Only an inch separated them.

"I could do anything for you."

"No, you can't, because you can't turn back time and stop the genocide of a completely peaceful people."

Zuko yanked away as if he'd been burned. "I had nothing to do with that!"

"You're right. But once you turn Aang in to your father, then you'll have completely eradicated his entire culture. You're not stupid, Zuko. We both know what's going to happen when you turn him in. Maybe not now, but as soon the war is over."

The prince looked at her for a minute as his soldiers crashed through the foliage. "Ready the Komodo Rhinos. We're going after the Avatar."

"Monster."

**My Beta just had to drop out, which means there is an opening if anyone wants it, before I look through the Beta list.**


	10. Chapter 10: Jet

**Legal Necessities: Do you seriously still think I own this?**

Chapter 10: Jet

"I'm sorry." Kana whispered, making Zuko's hands tighten around the reigns of his Komodo Rhino. "I shouldn't have said that."

"You were right." He said quietly enough so that none of his men heard, he couldn't be seen admitting he was wrong to a prisoner. "I never thought about what's going to happen when I give the Avatar to my father. I will try to keep him alive, if only to keep from letting his culture disappear." Kana felt herself relax, and she allowed her back to sloutch slightly, so she could lean into the Firebender.

"Thank you." He just grunted.

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"What," Zuko raged, "did you just say?"

They had run across a camp of Fire Nation soldiers. It was a small site with only fifteen or so members, and at first, it had seemed like a lucky break. As it turned out there was a town only a mile or so away. That had been completely submersed in water.

"We're sorry Prince Zuko, but whoever they were, they had the Avatar on their side!"

"That's no excuse!" Zuko spat, "You should have easily been able to apprehend him!"

"It was a surprise attack, we had no way to follow him and stop the people who attacked us from blowing up the dam." The lead soldier whimpered, and Kana felt a strange mixture of pity and disgust for the man.

"I was going to leave the Waterbender here as leverage over the Avatar, but now seeing the incompetence displayed, I don't know if it's the best idea." Zuko growled looking over the soldiers with a glare in his eye.

"It would be an honor to watch her your Highness." The leader said, practically begging for the chance at redemption. Kana fought off a sneer of disdain for the man; her father would have kicked his teeth out.

"Yes is would be, Uncle, what do you think?"

"Second chances are gifts of trust Prince Zuko, the question you must ask yourself my nephew, is do you trust your people?"

Zuko waited for a moment before waving for his men to follow him, handing her down to the soldiers. Kana watched as they left with a scowl. He was taking more precaution after her momentary escape, but it was worth it to keep Aang away from the Fire Nation. Besides, there was no reason to break away from these soldiers like last time.

She sat there silently as she waited for Zuko's return, not bothering to speak with the men, they followed her example and kept from initiating a conversation. But by just looking at the campfire, she was unexpectedly knocked to the ground. Kana's head snapped up in disbelief, as something flashed by, slamming two Firebenders into the ground.

"Down again." It said with a cocky smile, no, he said with a cocky smile.

Lurching back up right, Kana let out a hiss when she counted six fighters ambushing the camp. Hands still bound, she made a run for it. Whoever these people were- whether their intentions were good or not- they were nothing but trouble.

"Hey, wait!" a masculine voice called out, and she felt a hook latch onto her hands, tearing the ropes wrapped tightly around her wrists. Instincts took over as she knocked the weapon away, followed quickly by a round house kick to the face. She was able to catch a glimpse of her attacker before continuing her escape.

He had shaggy brown hair, and dark eyes. He wore a strange collection of clothes and armor, but the most noticeable thing about him was the piece of wheat in his mouth. And the Water Tribe boot in his face.

"She's hysterical, grab her!"

Kana made it out of the clearing, but as soon as she was in the trees, a stinging sensation tickled her neck. She reached back, pulling a fat dart from her skin with a hiss. She was barely able to register what it was before the tranquilizer began to kick in.

She stumbled backward, latching onto a branch to keep upright. The people who had successfully ambushed the camp started to gather around and look at her. They were all about her age, some a few years older, some a few years younger, but none were adults. Her knees buckled and she slumped to the ground.

"Those looked like Firebending moves, Jet." One of the kids piped up, walking over to the boy with wheat grass in his mouth.

"What are you saying, Smellerbee?" He asked, taking a second to look at the boy who had spoken, then peered back down at Kana.

"A trap, maybe. Just look at her hair, classic Fire Nation." Smellerbee growled.

"It might be worse to leave her here, if she isn't a spy then we'd be giving her right back to them. Besides, she can't do any harm right now..." he paused for a second before speaking again, "go ahead, Pipsqueak."

"I'm not so sure about this, Jet." Smellerbee whispered.

"She looks like how they described Kana." Jet responded as a large boy sauntered over, putting a log- an actual log- that he'd been using as a weapon behind his back. Without so much as a huff, he picked up the blue eyed girl, making her head roll around. How did they know who she was?

"Gather what you can, and meet us back at the camp, we need to get this girl back to the hideout."

As black tendrils spread over her vision, Kana was only able utter a single syllable. "Don't."

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"I can't believe you got caught by the Fire Nation just so you could learn Firebending." Jet said with a grin.

"It isn't just to learn bending, they happen to be tracking someone I need to find. As soon as they find him, and my training's complete, I'll escape." Kana smirked back, staring over the secret treetop hideout. After a rather long, and question filled night, she had agreed to stay. It seemed like it might end up as a mistake, but it was nice not to be a prisoner for a short while.

"You want to go back then."

"Yes."

"We could use your help, and in return we could get you back to your friend." He said.

"But I still need to learn how to bend."

"How can you stand being so near the Fire Nation?" Jet asked turning to stare at Kana. She just sighed, and continued to look at the trees, their leaves a brilliant array of hues that only occurred during the fall.

"It's not so bad, I get what I want, and when I'm done then I'll just leave." She shrugged. Jet just shook his head, that cocky smirk still on his face.

"Your that good, huh?" He asked.

"Better."

"Than I'm glad I'm not the one going against you." He said grinning. Kana looked at him for a second, but as he watched her, she felt her small smile grow bigger. Jet certainly was charismatic, it's no wonder he managed to gather the Freedom Fighters. A group of kids that the world had forgotten, but he hadn't.

"Coming down to dinner?"

"Why Jet, are you asking me out on a date?" She teased, making his grin deepen.

"I'd be more than happy to offer." Kana's head tilted back in laughter.

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"That friend you're looking for, his name's Aang, isn't it?" Jet asked, making Kana's head snap in his direction. His face was somehow blank, yet full of assurance.

"How do you know that?" she asked, hands curling slightly in suspicion.

"He talked about you, said you were the Fire Nations prisoner." He stated simply, walking over. She didn't like how she had to look up at him. "He was there when the Fire Nation blew the damn, trying to get rid of me. He tried to stop them, but was too late."

"Funny, the soldiers said that you were the one to blow the damn." Kana said blankly, but he just shrugged.

"Why would they admit to their failure?" he question, and her shoulder slowly un-tightened. Slowly he sat down next to her, and she let out an uneven breath, she really hated this war.

"Why do you fight, Jet?" she suddenly asked, and she could feel his eyes as they studied her.

"I lost my family to the Fire Nation." he said, looking down at his hands. Kana glanced at him through the corner of her eye, but kept her face angled up at the moon. They were sitting side by side, staring at the glowing sliver in the sky; a chill frosting the autumn leaves. It was an oddly beautiful night for such hate filled days.

"I don't know what happened to my family, I disappeared before the war even started." Kana murmured, "When I woke up my home was all but destroyed, and everyone I'd ever known was dead."

"I'm sorry." Jet whispered, shoulders hunching down uncharacteristically.

"So am I." She replied, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned towards her, and pushed a lock of hair from her face. She hesitated for a second, watching as Jet leaned in, then simply closed her eyes and bent forward.

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Smellerbee was actually a girl. It was no wonder she interrupted their kiss the night before.

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"We need your help before you leave, Avatar." Jet said with a teasing lilt in his voice as he looked at her. She had stayed for one last night making it a total of four, certain that Zuko wouldn't leave until he found her. She was his only link to Aang.

"With what, Jet?"

"It turns out the Fire Nation has had enough of this forest, they're going to burn it down, I was thinking that since you were a master Waterbender, you could keep that from happening." He said with a grin.

"How?" she asked.

"When they blew the damn, the reservoir was filled with water, you can use that to stop the fire."

"Looks like you thought of everything." Kana stated with a smile.

"That's what it takes to stop those monsters." He said, making her sigh.

"You're taking the actions of a few, and putting them on the whole, Jet." She said blankly, "Be careful you don't let your hatred consume you."

"I won't." he growled firmly, making her shrug.

"When will you need me?" she asked, completely ignoring his previous statement.

"Now would be best."

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"You won't get away with this, you traitor!" Smellerbee screamed, only managing to make Kana snort.

"I believe the proper phrasing is that, _you_ won't get away with this." She said, walking away from the three freedom fighters pinned to trees, a thick layer of ice keeping them there. "I'll be seeing about Jet now, have a nice time staying still."

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"Kana, what are you doing here?" Jet gasped, hands relaxing away from the hilts of his swords. "Aren't you supposed to be preparing the forest for the wild fire?"

"What kind of idiot do you take me for, Jet?" she asked, water slowly snaking between her fingers as her boots rested on the table. "Because the tier of stupidity that you've dubbed me is rather insulting."

"I don't know what you mean." He said blankly, jaw twitching.

"Drop the charade Jet, I heard you talking with your Freedom Fighters last night." She growled, "Nice plan really, setting me up as far away from the forest fire as possible, so I could do nothing about it."

"You don't understand." He said, making her scoff.

"Oh I understand perfectly." Kana laughed darkly, getting to her feet. She knew what hatred did to a person. He was going to burn even hotter than the flames he planned to set if he continued down this path, and he wouldn't realize it until it was to late. "Jet wouldn't do this."

"Yes I would, I am." He grit out.

"I said Jet wouldn't do this, you're just some mangled version of him."

"You would do the same if you stopped to think about," he snapped, "the Fire Nation wiped out the Air Nomads, they destroyed your tribe! I'm stopping them from doing that ever again."

"Jet, you can't do this by setting a fire on Earth Kingdom land. You're hurting allies." She reasoned, staring at him blue eyes cold as ice. His face, usually positioned into a cocky smirk, now wore a serious frown.

"Sometimes sacrifices have to be made so that people can be free."

"This isn't the way to help people, Jet!" She hissed, her eyes narrowing in contempt, "You have to think about what you're doing."

"I did, and I'm going through with it."

"You're sick, and apparently a monster, Jet. Which means I can't let you do this."

"I'm not a monster, the Fire Nation is!" he yelled back, hurt beginning to enter his eyes.

"They're not the ones about to kill innocent people."

"I'm not doing that, it's just a forest-"

"That provides food and shelter for many towns, that are about to get burned down." She said calmly.

"Sacrifices have to be made, sacrifice-"

"Is when someone gives their life for a cause, not when it's brutally ripped away from them." Kana snapped, taking a step forward. Jet drew his twin tiger hook swords from behind his back, brandishing them as menacingly as he could. But he was faltering.

"Please Jet, don't do this." She murmured, changing her approach, walking past his -lowering- weapons, and placing a gentle hand on his face. "Don't be the one that takes the lives of children, mothers, and fathers. Don't become the Fire Nation."

A long birdcall sounded, echoing through the forest trees. Jet's face tightened, his eyes sharpening in recognition, it was a signal. He looked back into the ice blue eyes of the Waterbender, and his shoulders sagged.

"You only get one chance to do the right thing, Jet." His face crumpled as if in pain before he puckered his lips and whistled back. Kana held her breath, prepared for the worst. Nothing happened.

"I don't want you to remember me as a monster." He whispered, making the Waterbender smile woefully. She placed a light kiss on his cheek.

"I won't." Another whistle split the serenity of that moment, making the teens heads snap up. Jet's face drained of all color as he responded, yet was interrupted by one last piercing sound. He was silent for what seemed like minutes before he spoke again.

"Smellerbee's going to light the fires," he gaped, "she thinks I've been taken prisoner, she's not going to listen to me."

"What do you mean Smellerbee, I froze her against a tree!" Kana scowled, turning the water in her hands to icy daggers.

"Where?" he shouted at her, dropping his swords, and taking her by the shoulders. "Where?"

"A few paces from the reservoir!" she snapped, lurching away from him.

"I had people scout the reservoir so that you wouldn't get to the starting point of the fire!" he yelled, stumbling back.

"I have to stop them!" Kana gasped trying to run out of the door of Jet's room, that would lead to the fire, but before she could get anywhere Jet latched onto her arm.

"I'm sorry." He whispered glancing at the sky, where a pillar of smoke began to rise, as if reaching for the clouds.

Without another thought, Kana ripped away from the Freedom Fighters leader, and dove off the side of the giant tree house, grabbing a rope on her way down. The last thing she heard before leaping from the trees was Jet's horrified yell. She ran as fast as she could towards what she knew would soon be a raging inferno, making a diagonal cut across the forest to the river.

The sun shut off as she dove into frothing water, the current trying to rip her limb from limb. Her muscles unclenched to allow the water to push and pull at her like its nature demanded, like her nature demanded. With a slicing motion she cut through the liquid, rising to the top of the monstrous river.

Kana burst from the depths, taking a breath of air as she formed a board of ice under her feet. Her whole body lifted above the surface of the roaring water, arms swinging out. A large ramp of ice arose from the liquid, the board on her feet sliding over it until she was flung through the air.

Limbs feverishly twirling, the water lifted higher and higher freezing into a solid wall of ice. The sun glinted off the frozen liquid as water rammed at it, yet it held strong. She landed firmly on top of the dam, her eyes narrowing at the smoke beginning to form in the forest. With a calm breath Kana pulled at the swelling water trying to flood over her make shift dam.

Her arm rose above her head, hand cutting down slowly to her waist, the river splitting down the middle. With sudden movements of her entire body, the separate bodies of water collided, lifting both into a giant wave. Kana could feel her body trembling from the pressure of keeping the river still; she wouldn't be able to keep this up. With a vicious yell, Kana swung the water in the direction of the forest, submerging the trees in a roaring current.

She leveled it out to simply submerge up to a humans waist knowing the Freedom Fighters were still in there. A small flame of accomplishment ignited in her chest, as the smoke started to fade into the clouds. Her lips pulled up in a smirk until there was a _thunk_ next to her foot. Kana's eyes snapped down, breath rushing from her lungs. Without thinking she brought a shield of ice up to protect her just in time.

The arrow that had hit so close to her exploded, sending her flying through the air. Kana frantically brought any of the escaped water up to meet her descent, and she hit it full force. Her body easily crashed through it, and bounced across the wet earth.

**OOOMMMGGG I reached chapter 10! Hooray! Also I started a poll for this story, and should regularly be doing this for certain subjects on this Fanfiction. This week's poll pertains to Kana's love life! Also, for anyone that thinks she was a little bit Mary-Sue, if Aang can stop a volcano, she can stop a forest fire with advanced Waterbending.**


	11. Chapter 11: The Great Divide

**Legal Necessities: I wonder if I own this… Nope still don't.**

Chapter 11: The Great Divide

Zuko didn't understand what he was feeling when he learned Kana was missing. It was something other than anger, it was like when his uncle had been taken, but more... Soft. So he just resorted to feeling numb, he didn't explode like he usually would, and just turned to leave.

"Retrieve the ship, and dock it in a river nearby." He said to no one in particular, as he motioned for his uncle to follow him. They were going to wait back in the village. He knew Kana would be back, it was just like his uncle had said. He was still of some use to her, and so long as she could use him, she wouldn't try to leave. He wasn't worried about her safety, she was just a pawn... Just a pawn...

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The moment he saw the wave, Zuko thought he - and everyone else - was going to die. It surprised him how little that thought upset him. He would never capture the Avatar, but dying in this quest would give him some semblance of honor.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me, Uncle," he said embracing the old man in a tight hug, "I'm sorry for never showing the gratitude you deserve." He let go of Iroh, and turned to face his death like a man, only to feel his stomach drop.

Zuko was to far to see the exact details of what was going on, but when a barrier of ice rose up, he knew who was behind it. Kana.

"Uncle!" He shouted, leaping onto his Komodo Rhino, completely forgetting he had been three seconds from death. There was someone else that could be in danger - Kana could be in danger! He rode as fast as his mount could carry him, approaching the makeshift dam. Zuko searched the ground, finding what he had been looking for - but what he had hoped he wouldn't.

He leapt from the Komodo Rhino, and ran the rest of the way to Kana's lifeless body. He skid to his knees, trying to squash the feeling of panic rising in his chest. Her normally tan face was pale, blood running down it from a gash on her forehead. But what made Zuko's nose flare; was when he saw the abnormal twisting of her arm.

"We should get her to the infirmary Prince Zuko." Iroh said, placing a hand on his nephews shoulder. The prince jumped in surprise, not remembering that his uncle had been following him, but nodded in agreement nonetheless.

Gently, Zuko slid his arms underneath Kana's limp - but breathing - body, and slowly lifted her up. He let her head rest against his chest, and carefully mounted his Komodo Rhino.

"You're going to be all right, Kana." _she isn't just a pawn anymore, she's a person._

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Kana had woken up once on the way to the ship. Zuko was certain she was delirious, thanks to the bump on her head. Partly because when she opened her lavender blue eyes, they seemed uncharacteristically dull. Mostly though, it was when she cuddled into his side with a sigh.

"I bet I saved your life," she giggled, "that makes up for all the lies, right Zuzu?" Zuko recoiled from the term of endearment, he hadn't been called that since he was banished. It made anger bubble in the pit of his stomach, but it was quickly pushed down by the affectionate look the girl gave him. She wasn't saying it with scorn, or malice, he could live with her saying it.

"You've always been so kind to me, Zuzu." She murmured, staring up at him with a small smile.

"No, I haven't." He said back, feeling guilt begin to take over.

"Yes you have, you're just so angry all the time." She whispered, nuzzling his stomach. "I'm sorry you're so angry all the time," she sighed, drifting back into unconsciousness.

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Zuko paced back and forth in front of his door, waiting for the medic to come out of his room. He had left the room when it became apparent that Kana's blouse would be taken off. He was anxious. He knew that she had been hurt badly, and needed to know that she would be fine. But why, why did he need to know?

Before he could think about it, the doctor walked from his room, shielding the her from view with his body. He closed the door gently, and turned to look at the prince. Zuko waited for him to speak, but the man didn't say anything, and refused to meet his eyes.

"What is it, what's wrong?" he snapped, trying to hide the building worry. The doctor shifted from foot to foot under his scrutiny, and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Nothing's wrong sir. I- she asked me to give you this." He said, handing a bowl of water to the prince. "She wanted to heal herself, and asked that you let her."

"Is it necessary?" Zuko asked.

"She has three broken bones in her arm, and a small laceration to her head. I've set the bones, but it'll take a few weeks to heal by itself." The doctor said, still fidgeting under the princes' stare. He knew that the man was holding something back, but before he could question him about what he was leaving out, the medic bowed and shuffled away.

Zuko peered warily at the bowl of water in his hands, then pushed open the door to his room, and walked in. Kana had been lying down, but sat up when he entered – minding the sling on her arm – and smiled when she saw that he brought the water. The prince grimaced at this; she had a knack for making him feel guilty. Did she honestly believe he wouldn't let her heal herself, and therefore be in pain? _I wouldn't have when I first met her._ he thought to himself, his frown deepening.

"My uncle told me about healing, he said it was a true gift from the spirits."

"It is." Kana said, reaching for the bowl with her good hand. He gave it to her, and she promptly set it down on a table. Motioning for him to sit. "I need you to help me, all you have to do is hold my arm steady."

Zuko went to do as she asked, blushing slightly when he had to lean a little close to undo the sling. As he gently held Kana's broken arm, he noticed her face tightly drawn, obviously in pain. Yet she remained silent.

She didn't waste any time, gathering the water from the bowl into her hand. He felt his eye widen in wonder as the liquid began to glow a brilliant azure color, taking his breath away. He stopped breathing altogether when the dazzling water caressed his skin as Kana lowered it to her arm. The Waterbenders fingers mesmerized Zuko, as each movement caused it to dance.

He glanced up at Kana, and though he would swear otherwise, his heart skipped a beat. Her mahogany locks framed her face – let down from the bun she usually sported – and shadows swung in an endless waltz. But what captivated him so completely, were her eyes. They were a blue he had never seen before; they were beautiful.

She turned her face to look at him, a tiny smile appearing. "I think this is the first time I've ever seen you without a scowl, Prince Zuko." His lips turned down into a frown.

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Her arm was healed, but it still had a dull throb. Kana was able to ignore it, as she brought a cup of tea up to her mouth. Iroh had made sure to visit her for the three days of mandatory bed rest. He had even been able to drag Zuko along once, though reluctantly. Kana was certain she was being avoided, but ignored it.

Today - though it wasn't necessarily a wise decision - she would start up her training again. Zuko had argued against it at first, but was quickly silenced when she threatened to quit helping track Aang until she could train. It had made her cringe when she mentioned her betrayals, but she couldn't lie to herself, she had betrayed her friend.

"Kana, I have a question for you."

"Of course, Iroh."

"How old are you?" Kana blinked at the old man questioningly, confusion written all over her face.

"You already know, I'm fifteen."

"I mean actual age, not just the age of your body." Kana frowned in displeasure, he had figured it out.

"You already know, don't you?" She sighed in contempt. She knew this conversation was coming, thankfully Iroh had decided he would discuss it with_ her_. Privately.

"I had my suspicions, and may I say that you look remarkable for an old woman." Iroh chuckled, sobering enough to take a sip of tea. It took barely a second for him to become serious again, and Kana almost didn't have time to arrange her face in preparation.

"Are you the Avatar?" Her hand - now holding her cup - frozen midway to her lips, eyes widening just slightly. She let out a 'surprised' laugh, and squeezed her knee under the table.

"Last time I checked, I wasn't an Airbender," Kana chuckled with a fake twinkle in her eye. "I have to admit though, I thought you were serious for a moment."

Iroh joined in her laughter, though it was a little forced. He was a wise man, and though her lies had fended him off for now, there was no chance that he would let this go. But so long as he doubted it enough to not tell his nephew, she was safe. And until then, she would smile and nod as if nothing happened but a joke.

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Zuko cursed his uncle, his sly, manipulative, bastard of an uncle. He should have expected this, the old man had too much of a papa platypus-bear instinct. It had been a week since Kana's injuries, and Iroh had made it his personal mission to assimilate her into the crew.

It had started by letting the girl stay out longer than usual after her Firebending lessons. Then his uncle had begun to make up reasons and excuses for him to take Kana to the captains deck. Once they started to play Pai Sho - and she was the only one that could best Iroh - the crew wanted her around during their games. Which was all the time.

Zuko had even heard some of the men begin to refer to her as the daughter they never had. Blast that uncle of his! His wit was still sharp, and there was a gleam in his eye that should have left a man of his age, and position, years ago! Of course Kana did seem to be much happier... Maybe his uncle wasn't such a bastard after all.

"After the war ends, she would be a good daughter-in-law." Captain Jee said elbowing Cook in the ribs.

Or maybe he was an even bigger bastard.

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It was music night, and Kana had wanted to join in. Zuko didn't want to let her, he would have to go along to watch her, and he didn't much care for music night. But she was nothing but persistent, and her pestering became unbearable, so that he had to either agree or go insane. The smile she gave him seemed like it might make up for his having to listen to his uncles singing.

He was wrong. Nothing could make up for the ear sore his uncles grating voice caused. Zuko had no choice but to try to get away from Iroh's croaking by walking to the railing of the ship, and looking out to sea. He jumped when Kana appeared at his side; she hadn't made any noise when approaching him.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" She murmured peering over the vast ocean. He peeked at her through the corner of his eye, and noticed how the wind blew through her hair. She had left it down tonight. "I couldn't live without the sea, no more than you couldn't live without the sun, but still. There is no swamp, or body of water on land that could compare to the love a Waterbender has for the sea."

"What is the point of you telling me this?" Zuko asked.

"Because I want you to understand." His hand tightened on the railing, her voice sounded so sad. He made it sad. "I want you to understand that when you hate someone for not being Fire Nation, you're hating everything that makes them, them."

"I don't hate people from other places," Zuko growled, "I just love the Fire Nation more. Once the war is over, the Fire Nation will make the world a better place."

"One culture is neither greater nor inferior to another," she snapped, "once you learn that, then you'll understand what it means to be a true ruler." As if to prove Kana's point, Iroh called out to the Waterbender.

"I've heard that Water Tribe ballads are the most beautiful in the world!"

"Could you sing one for us, Kana?" Jee asked with a hearty laugh.

"Of course! We usually only use our voices, but your pipa is similar to the ones made from Polar-Mole bones." The captain stood quickly, offering both his seat and instrument, which Kana took immediately. Her fingers began to pluck at the strings.

_Silver light_

_She turned her face up to the starlit sky_

_And on this night began to wonder why_

_She knew that soon the day would come_

_._

_Born to be_

_An heir of beauty and serenity_

_Into this world she entered quietly_

_To her surprise she was the one_

_._

_Destiny was close behind her_

_Phantom of borrowed life_

_And the sea was a reminder_

_Mirror of given light_

_._

_Then one day_

_The sign she'd waited for in skies of grey_

_Traversed a winding road and came her way_

_She found the love she hoped she would_

_._

_But she knew_

_That she had promises to stay true to_

_The dormant daughter of the silver moon_

_Then all at once she understood_

_._

_Destiny was close behind her_

_Phantom of borrowed life_

_And the sea was a reminder_

_Mirror of given light_

_._

_From the sky_

_She watched the life_

_She'd known she would leave behind_

_._

_Said goodbye_

_And gave her people_

_Life through her sacrifice_

_._

Zuko was amazed; he had never heard something so eerily beautiful. Kana was cool, and accepting. He was heated, and and burned through everything. That was what separated them, that was the great divide between the two.

**Hola friendola's! Just wanted to say I do not own "daughter of the moon" by Adriana Figueroa. I do however recommend listening to it, as it will come back as a major plot changer many chapters from now.**

**Also, look who's starting to develop some feels. Finally, am I right?**

**And on another note, the poll I set up will be taken down and replaced after the next chapter. I shall take into account your opinions, so get to voting… and reviewing XD**


	12. Chapter 12: The Storm

**Legal Necessities: I own everything in the universe, except this.**

Chapter 12: The Storm

Aang flew through the sky, a smile on his face. The air lifted him higher and higher until he saw it, the cliff that he and Kana would always sit at. She was already there, waiting for him. He landed behind her, his smile growing larger as the wind blew her hair.

"Why did you take me, Aang? They needed me."

"What?" He whispered, eyes growing wide.

"They needed me, they needed us. And you made us disappear." Kana said, still staring out at the sky.

"I didn't mean to."

"It's okay, Aang. So long as you remember to show your smile." Kana giggled turning around at a cheetah-slug speed. A white mask with blood red lips and gray ovals over violet eyes had replaced her face.

Aang shot up with a strangled scream, cold sweat dripping down his spine. He knew that face. It was Koh.

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"There's a storm coming, a big one." Iroh said, sniffing the air with a look of worry.

"You're out of your mind, Uncle. The weather's perfect, there's not a single cloud in sight!"

"He's right," Kana warned, brows furrowing. "A storm is approaching from the North, we should be able to avoid the blunt of it by heading South-West."

"And how would you know anything about storms?" Zuko snapped, glaring at her.

"I'm a Waterbender," she said rolling her eyes, "and the ocean is very restless right now."

"We know the Avatar is traveling North, and that is where we are going." He growled.

"You should listen to our guest, Prince Zuko. Taking the advice of a Waterbender, while traveling on the sea is advisable."

"You also have to think about the safety of the crew." Kana piped up.

"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" Zuko shouted, "Finding the Avatar is far more important then any individuals safety." He snapped, causing the Waterbenders face to flush red with indignation. She was so angry that she simply turned on her heel, and strode away towards their shared cabin.

"He doesn't mean it, he's just all worked up!" Iroh yelled, chasing after her, but not before tossing a disappointed look back at his nephew. He caught up relatively quickly, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "He didn't mean it."

"I know." Kana sighed, leaning against an iron wall. "I'm just a little on edge because of training today. My progress seems to have come to a standstill, and it's frustrating."

"I see," Iroh chuckled, "you have not yet grasped the fundamentals of Firebending. But you must remember that fire is against your nature, even your anger does not burn."

"I don't understand, old man." She said with a tiny smirk, he was going to offer some of his puzzling wisdom.

"Most Firebenders draw their strength from anger, but your own is already like a typhoon, it builds up and can cause great destruction. But it can also be avoided if the proper precautions are taken."

"So you're saying that my training will just going to come to a complete halt?" Kana murmured, shoulders dropping.

"On the contrary, I'm saying that you have a chance to learn what true Firebending is, you simply have to look inside, find that flicker of light, and feed it until it becomes a flame!"

"Find my fire..." Kana murmured, contemplating. She took in a deep breath, and gave a customary Fire Nation bow to Iroh. "Thank you for your wisdom, Dragon of the West. I believe I should meditate on what you said while the idea is still fresh in my mind."

Iroh nodded with a bit of pride, and she went to her room to meditate. She sat down in front of the candles that Zuko used to help center himself in the morning, and took a deep breath. She needed to find the thing that elicited a fire from her, but she didn't know where to begin.

She let out the breath she'd been holding, and knew she would have to go back. All the way back, to before she was trapped in the iceberg.

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"I'll never forget the day I met Kana." Aang said over the fire Katara had started. He had run away from the old fisherman, and she had followed suit. Now they were trapped by the storm inside a cave. "That was when everything started to change. I was trying to teach some of the other kids to do the air scooter, and that's when she and a nun arrived."

_"Hey, who's that?" Popo - a young Air Nomad - asked, pointing towards a flying bison._

_"I don't know, let's go check it out!" Aang exclaimed excitedly. They didn't get a lot of visitors, unless of course, it was the day the nuns would visit. It _was_ a nun that was arriving, but there was a girl with her too. Someone from the Water Tribe!_

_He ran ahead of the others, but froze when he saw her entirely. He was struck dumb at her dazzling smile, and bell like laughter as she slid down the giant bison as gracefully as an Airbender. Her eyes danced with delight when they met his own gray ones, and he rose his hand in greeting._

_The elder monks finally arrived, and whisked the nun and Water Tribe girl away. But before she was out of sight, she peeked over her shoulder and waved back at him._

_"I've never seen a girl like that before." Popo said with a goofy grin on his face, one that mirrored most of the other monks face._

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Billowing black clouds collected as far as the eye could see. Key members of the crew had collected on the deck, including Iroh and Zuko, of course.

"Looks like your uncle - and Kana - were right about the storm after all." Captain Jee said in a condescending tone, crossing his arms, and tossing a glare towards Prince Zuko.

"Lucky guess!" Iroh piped up, raising his hands in the hopes of diffusing the situation that was beginning to form.

"Captain, you had better learn some respect, or I'll teach it to you!" Zuko growled, menacingly stabbing him in the chest with two fingers, before walking to the bow of the deck.

"What do you know about respect," Jee snapped back angrily, "the way you treat everyone around here, from your esteemed uncle, to the young lady on board, shows you know nothing about respect! You don't care about anyone, but yourself. Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?"

Zuko whipped around in a fury, shifting into his Firebending stance. Jee was surprised, but quickly followed suit. Their arms clashed together, both ready for a duel. The princes' hand began to steam. Before the situation could escalate any further, Iroh stepped in, knocking both of their hands away.

"Enough!" He yelled, "We are all just a bit tiered from being at sea so long. I'm sure after a bowl of noodles, everyone will feel much better."

Jee glanced at the old general, then at Zuko, and turned away. The prince did the same, with a snarl. "I don't need your help keeping order on my ship!" He growled. Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder, but he yanked away as if burned.

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_ "When can I meet him, Hariti?" Kana asked of the middle-aged nun she was traveling with. The woman smiled lovingly at her young charge, and chuckled slightly._

_"The monks are bringing him in now, Kana. Patience, child." The Waterbender gave a sheepish grin, clutching her hands behind her back._

_"I'm just excited to finally meet him! I have been waiting for two years, after all."_

_Hariti just tossed her head back with laughter, and shook her head, much like her young ward did. She squeezed Kana's shoulder as the monks began to file in, the last one - Gyatso - ushering in his own small charge. The Waterbender smiled in surprised delight, the boy who walked in was the one who had waved at her!_

_She bit her lip, and raised her hand waist high to greet him as he had her, eliciting a chuckle from Hariti. Aang glanced at her in confusion, but smiled nonetheless, making a monks eyes narrow._

_"Aang," Gyatso began gently, "we have much to tell you. But first we will explain Kana's presence here, she was brought to the Air temple to help explain, and hopefully to help you adapt." At this Hariti shoved Kana forward. A lump formed in her stomach as she bowed to the monk, her throat going dry._

_"It is an honor to meet you Aang," she whispered, glancing uncertainly back at the nun. The woman nodded, and she continued. "I've waited two years to meet you. To meet the other Avatar."_

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I'm sick of taking his orders," Captain Jee said with a large gulp from his cup, "and I'm sick of chasing his Avatar! I mean who does Zuko think he is?" He growled.

"Do you really want to know?" Iroh asked with a somber voice from the door.

"General Iroh," Jee exclaimed, standing in shock, "we were just-"

"It's okay," he said, calmly raising his hand to dispel unease, "may I join you?"

"Of course, Sir!" The captain exclaimed. Iroh walked over and took a seat, then began to stroke his beard.

"Try to understand," he began, "my nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much."

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_"I can't believe I'm the Avatar. Maybe the monks made a mistake." Aang murmured as he walked through the gardens with Kana. She reached down, taking his hand in hers, and gave it a squeeze._

_"I know it's difficult to accept at first, but if you have any questions, I'll be here to answer them! "_

_"You will?"_

_"Of course!" Kana chirped, "They say that when two Avatars are born, that though they're two separate people, they share a connection so deep it's almost like they have a single soul."_

_"Really?" Aang asked in amazement._

_"Mmhmm."_

_"I'm really glad your here Kana, I don't think I would've been able to take it if you weren't."_

_"Yes you would've," she said with a grin, "your a lot stronger than you think."_

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"An act of complete disrespect," Iroh growled, clenching his fist in anger, "and there was only one way to resolve this."

"Agni Kai." Jee whispered.

"That's right. Zuko looked upon the old general he had offended, and declared he was not afraid. But he had misunderstood. When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the general he would be facing... Zuko had spoken out in the Fire Lords war room, and it was the Fire Lord who he had disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father."

"I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident."

"It was no accident."

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_"Gyatso, Hariti, you two have allowed your affections for the children to cloud your judgment."_

_"We only want what is best for them." _

_"But what we need, is what is best for the world. Gyatso, you and Aang will be separated. And Hariti, you will take Kana to the Earth Kingdom to learn Earthbending."_

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Kana took in another breath. She knew what her fire was; it was so simple and obvious. The only time she ever felt even a flicker of heat was when he was involved. When she had leapt into the icy water of the South Pole, or the time she left Hariti when there was going to be a storm. But more than anything, it was when she wanted him to be safe. She let out her breath, and the candles burst to life.

She let out a shout of triumph, the fire leaping like her emotions. Kana quickly evened out her temper, but couldn't help the cocky smirk on her lips. She was about to try to summon fire to her hands, but was viciously tossed to the floor. The candles died as the ship titled precariously, making her slide into the wall.

Zuko barged into the room, the boat rumbling ominously. When he saw Kana on the ground, he knelt down and helped her back to her feet. As the boat lurched, he grasped onto her waist to balance them.

"We need your help," he gasped, pulling her from his quarters, and down the hall. "The storm is out of control, it's going to capsize the ship!"

"We need to get the eye of the storm, it's the only chance we have to save the ship!" Kana yelled as they emerged outside, the pounding rain a constant roar. The crew ran about frantically, trying to keep the boat afloat while wave after wave slammed into it.

She didn't know what to do; the sea was too wild, even for a master Waterbender! Not knowing anything else she could do, Kana flung her arms out, the rain hovering in mid air. Every person froze to state in awe, but the moment was shattered as a large wave swept over the deck, at the exact time lightning struck.

"The Helmsman!" Without the deafening rain, she could hear Zuko holler. She twisted around, the rain drenching the deck again, and looked up at the crows nest. She could see a member of the crew dangling precariously over the edge, holding on just by his fingers. Kana made a beeline to the ladder leading up to the helpless man, and raced up the rungs as fast as she could.

She could hear Zuko behind her, along with Captain Jee. The ship was bashed by another wave, and the helmsman fell. She reached out, grasping his wrist before he could plummet to his death, and felt her shoulder nearly yank out of its socket. She lowered him down to Zuko, who in turn lowered him to the captain.

Before Kana could even share a smile with the Firebender, the boat tipped onto its side, and the bolts holding the crows nest were ripped out. She let out a terrified scream as the ladder tipped her out over the sea, and she was flung from her perch on the metal rungs.

"No!" Zuko shouted, reaching for her hand. He caught her just before she was out of reach, and for the first time, Kana saw fear in his eyes. "I won't drop you!" he promised as unseen tears began to drip from her eyes. She was only able to watch as a colossal wave rammed into the side of the ship, and her hand slipped from his grasp. She screamed.

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_"How could you do this to him?" Kana yelled at the nun. "Do you know what it's like to feel like the world is on your shoulders? How can you can you do that to him?"_

_"It isn't what I want, but I do not have the authority to go against the monks. We are merely visitors here, and if they want us to leave, than we must do as they ask." Hariti murmured, placing a hand on the girls shoulder. She yanked away._

_"You could never understand." She hissed. But the Air Nomad could understand, she was raising the second Avatar. The potential savor of the world. _

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Every moment seemed to turn to a thousand years as Kana fell, and he looked in her fright filled eyes all the way down, straight into the roaring sea. She vanished from sight instantly, and without a thought concerning the danger, Zuko flung herself over the railing.

He propelled himself into the black ocean, turning wildly, until he caught sight of Water Tribe blue. He kicked as hard as he could, slicing through the water, and ramming into Kana's unconscious form. Zuko wrapped his arms under her chest, and used his legs to drag them back to the surface.

The typhoon raged on, massive waves smashing the two benders back down into the abyss, trying to force them to the depths of the ocean. All the adrenalin Zuko had suddenly began to drain away. His grip on Kana slackened, and she almost slips away, causing another spurt of energy to fill his veins. He wasn't going to let her go!

With a pained cry, Zuko used everything he had left, slamming them back towards the ship with powerful kicks. They slapped into it, and for a second it seemed like everything would come to an end. Then a rope was tossed over the side. He clutched at it, clinging to the only lifeline they had left. As the crew pulled them on deck, the Firebender could feel a strangled cry of relief escape his throat.

"She isn't breathing!" Iroh shouted in horror, brushing away wet strands of hair away from the girls face. Zuko's limbs felt like rubber, but with one final effort, he dragged himself over to his uncle. He handed Kana to him without hesitation, trusting him to know what to do. Black tendrils began to crawl over his vision, but he pinched her nose, and put his lips on hers, blowing air into her lungs.

Her eyes flickered open, and she woke up with a choking cough. Iroh leapt forward, holding her up, and Zuko allowed a woozy smile to grace his features. "Do you make a habit of being a damsel in distress?" he teased, collapsing onto her lap.

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_"Aang, we can't just leave!"_

_"You heard them though, they're going to take me away from Gyatso, and you! I won't have anybody left." He said, tears starting to form in his eyes._

_"It'll only be for a little while, and then when you can move on to Waterbending, I could be your teacher. You just have to wait for a little while." Kana pleaded, but he just shook his head, and continued to pack._

_"Please come with me, we'll come back. I just need time to think. Without the influence of the monks." Kana studied him for a moment, sadness settling deep in her heart. He just wasn't old enough yet; if they had just waited then this wouldn't be happening!_

_"Okay, Aang. I'm with you."_

_._

**Well this is chapter 12, got some Kanaang fluff, Kana finally firebent, and Zuko saved her life... Technically CPR is called the kiss of life, so... :P**_  
_

**Did you like this chapter, did you hate it, do you hate me? Tell me in a review!**

**Also the poll I put up is going down when I publish the next chapter, so this is the last time your voice counts until the next poll!**


	13. Chapter 13: The Blue Spirit

**Legal Necessities: I wonder what the owners of this think of all the FF.**

Chapter 13: The Blue Spirit

Kana was running a high fever, and everyone was concerned. Luckily, Iroh remembered an old woman on top of a mountain; she was one of the best medics he had ever seen as a soldier. When he had told his nephew about this woman, Zuko had jumped at the chance to make Kana feel better.

"You do not usually willingly stray from the Avatars trail, Prince Zuko." Iroh murmured, watching his nephew carefully.

"Kana wouldn't be sick if it wasn't for me, I promised I wouldn't drop her, and I couldn't follow through. The least I can do is make her better."

"What she needs is rest," the old man said in a low voice, making the princes hands clench. "We could set up camp, and retrieve the medicine ourselves. It would be quicker, and easier for her than traveling up a mountain." Zuko peered at the winding path leading up to said mountain, uncertainly. His uncle put a hand on his shoulder, and he let out a harsh breath.

"Okay. But we leave immediately!" He growled. "Soldiers! Set up camp, my uncle and I are continuing forward! We should be back after night fall." The men hastily did what he asked, putting up a tent for Kana first. Iroh took the girl from his nephew, and laid her down carefully inside, wrapping her tightly in a blanket. He patted her hand gingerly through the fabric, and left her alone to rest.

When he emerged back outside, Zuko had already re-mounted his Komodo Rhino, and was waiting impatiently for his uncle to join him. As they rode out of camp, Iroh felt an uneasy lump beginning to form in his chest.

Sometimes, even when two countries are at war, nothing can halt a blooming attraction. His nephew spent a lot of time with Kana, he felt indebted to her. If he started having... feelings for a prisoner of war, his hope of returning to the Fire Nation was over. But all things considered, was that really as bad as it sounded?

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Jee had left the ship in the hands of his lieutenant in order to go with the small band of soldiers. He was probably Kana's second favorite person, after Iroh of course, and he wanted to see her get better. She really was like the daughter he never had, and always wanted.

So he sat in front of Kana's tent to make sure none of the men got a 'good idea'. Getting comfortable, he took out a knife and a chunk of wood to whittle. As he started up a jaunty Fire Nation tune, the carving was ripped from his fingers. There was just enough time to snap his head up, and see the men start to drop like flies before a sharp pain in his shoulder knocked him from his feet.

Jee's head bounced off a rock, making his vision begin to blur. He was barely able to recognize an arrow sticking from his flesh, when a strange man emerged from the trees and dipped into Kana's tent.

He dragged her from the makeshift shelter, now awake and struggling, but the fever had made her weak. Jee felt all color drain from his face when he saw who was taking her. It was a Yuyan archer.

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They had made excellent time. The greenhouse where the old woman resided, was not even fifty feet away, they would have the medicine for Kana soon. Zuko rushed inside, snapping his head back and forth frantically, until he saw the old herbalist his uncle had told him about.

"I need medicine for a sick girl, she has a horrible fever!" He shouted rushing up to her.

"Calm down, young man. Your friend is going to be fine, now tell me are there any other symptoms besides the fever? Sweating, perhaps?"

"No."

"Rapid breathing?"

"No.

"Coughing?"

"No!"

"It sounds to me that she isn't even sick," the old woman laughed, crushing a plant into paste.

"What do you mean she isn't sick, the fever-"

"Is the product of her coming into her Firebending capabilities, young man."

"She isn't a Firebender!" Zuko shouted.

"Prince Zuko," Iroh growled, "show some respect to your elders. If Kana had forced open her root chakra, than it is possible she would experience the fever that all Firebenders get as children."

"So what can we do?" the prince asked, turning back to the herbalist.

"Just let it run its course, she'll be fine in a few hours, a day at most. But until then, all you can do is wait." She said. The crazy old woman peered at him and raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to let that young lady be alone when sick? Go on, get out of here!"

Zuko glared at the herbalist, grabbed his uncle by the shoulder, and stormed away. Kana couldn't be a Firebender, she just couldn't. That would mean he would have to turn her into his father. That thought was nearly unbearable.

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Admiral Zhao was holding her captive in a Fire Nation outpost. Kana knew she was deep in a metal building from the distance they had dragged her, and the echo of the slamming door. Her eyes opened slowly at the sound of clicking boots, arms and legs twitching from being held in the same position for hours on end from iron chains.

"So you're the girl that I've heard so much about." Zhao smirked, getting inches from her face. "The Avatar has quite the infatuation with you, well, at least enough to know that I can use you to catch him."

"Oh? And what makes you think that?"

"He's mentioned you enough that the information eventually circled around to me." He chuckled.

"And how exactly do you know that I'm that person, the so called Avatar, was talking about?" Kana drawled in a bored like fashion, rolling her ice blue eyes.

"A Water Tribe girl held prisoner by a band of Fire Nation soldiers?" Zhao snorted, "It wasn't hard to find you... Of course some of my informants said that you weren't a prisoner. Which brings up the question, how friendly do you like to get to your captors?" He asked with a twisted grin appearing on his face.

"Your a disgusting freak!" Kana shrieked, viscously straining against the chains holding her arms tightly in place. She wanted to claw his eyes out! And from the way the Admiral leapt back, eyes widening in fear before he could stop himself, it was very apparent. "What's wrong Zhao, you a little scared elephant mouse?"

"Maybe once I capture the Avatar, I'll keep you as a person trophy!" He snarled, storming from the room. Kana's nose twitched as he left. She had exploded like most Firebenders would, it built up and erupted, and there was no way to avoid it. What was wrong with her?

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It had been an hour since the Admiral had stomped away from the Waterbenders holding cell, and the guards had fifteen minutes left on their shift. But before another minute could pass, they could hear a ruckus in another hall that turned into theirs. The head soldier motioned for one of them to check what was going on. As a man left and turned the corner, there was a shout, a blast of fire, then silence.

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Kana felt her chest tighten as a man with a blue and white mask entered the room she was held in. It was cast in a permanent smile, its tusks protruding in a mocking grin. The only movement came from the mans body as he drew his dual dao swords in a flash. Her heart skipped a beat as he brought them over his head and swung down, but she didn't close her eyes. He looked like a spirit, a blue spirit.

Before Kana could even blink, the blades cut through the iron shackles, releasing her arms from their grueling position. She held out her hands, and he quickly cut the locked cuffs from her wrists, and then did the same to her ankles.

"So I take it you're here to rescue me?" She asked rubbing her chaffed skin. The blue masked man just peered at her and waved for her to follow him. Kana smirked, raising an amused eyebrow. "I'll take that as a yes, tall, dark, and broody."

The Blue Spirits' back tensed, and he turned around slowly. He stared at her, her eyebrows raised in amusement. She just shrugged, and he again motioned for her to follow him. Outside the holding room was a bucket of water, he handed it to Kana, and she froze the liquid onto her forearms.

Everything was going fine as they traveled through the Fire Nation camp. As the two began to scale the first of three walls, an ear splitting alarm went off, the soldiers must have realized she was gone. The Blue Spirit looked down at her for a moment, then started to climb even faster. They needed to get to the top at the very least.

Before anyone could realize where they were, the man climbed over the top of the wall, and pulled Kana up along with him. Soldiers rushed out of two towers surrounding them. The girls face twisted into a smirk as the water she had frozen to her arm, crawled down her skin, and formed a whip in her hand.

In a matter of seconds, the two convicts had incapacitated their enemies, and were on the run again. They dashed across the confines of the camp, slipping past any obstacles that got in their way. They seemed to dance around each other, as if they knew the movements of their partner before they themselves did. To the outside eye, it would seem as if they had known each other for many years.

But even with bodies that seemed to know each other, as soldiers started to pour from every building surrounding them, they knew they wouldn't be able to last for long. Kana grabbed the Blue Spirit by the wrist – being careful to keep away from his blade – and pulled him over to the brick wall. Without giving him any warning, she leapt over the edge, dragging him with her.

As they fell towards the earth, Kana saw what she was looking – and hoping – for. A canal full of water around the base of the outpost! Fingers still curled tightly around the Blue Spirits wrist, she brought up the water from the canal to meet them. They hit the liquid full force, but by the time they hit the ground, the two were only drifting slowly.

When Kana felt the crisscross of the grate on her back, she let go of her bending, landing gently and flipped back onto her feet in a crouch. Her companion – who had been a few feet above her – dropped to the earth brandishing his swords. Soldiers flooded into the courtyard, yet again blocking their escape.

"Give up," Zhao shouted from the atop a wall, making Kana snap her head up, "your outnumbered, and there's no way out!" The Waterbender stood back to back with the Blue Spirit, and turned her gaze back to the soldiers – the immediate threat.

"He's right," she whispered, "there's too many of them. If we want any chance at getting to the exit, we have to slim down their numbers." Kana peeked at her companion through the corner of her eye, and saw him nod. She let out a breath.

**_You are a Water Tribe Warrior; _**she swung her arms overhead making the water from the canal surround them. **_Warriors push and pull; _**the liquid froze into a solid wall of ice. **_Show no mercy to your enemies, push; _**she slapped her palms against the ice, spikes forming along the outside of the wall. Her eyes traveled to the Blue spirit for a millisecond. **_Keep your allies alive, pull; _**the spikes blasted out, spearing anyone in close proximity.

There was a moment of complete, silent, serenity. Then the fighting really began. Neither Kana nor the man who had saved her held back, each swing of the sword, each twitch of the hand, and another soldier fell. The dirt was stained red as each of the ruthless duo moved onto more and more victims, cutting a path to their freedom. But the gate was closed.

The Fire Nation soldiers took the advantage of their momentary indecision, and blasted the two people that had rained destruction down on their ranks. Kana formed a bubble of water around them, and over the hissing she could hear Zhao yell.

"Stop your firing, we need her alive!" There wasn't even time to blink as two blades bit into her throat yanking her into the Blue Spirits chest, a drop of blood trailing down her neck. She waited with bated breath until the Admiral spoke again.

"Open the gates." He ground out between meshing teeth.

"Sir?"

"Do it. Now." Kana was only able to hear the creaking of the doors, the blades keeping her facing forward. A bead of sweat formed on her brow as her savior now used her body as a human shield. He stayed low behind her while they slowly made their way to the part of the forest that hadn't been burned down.

Just as they were about to take their first step into the trees, Kana felt something hit right next to her temple. The Blue Spirit fell, his swords clattering to the ground at her feet. She snapped her head back to him, he was completely unconscious.

The Waterbender turned on her heel, hands turning to claws as she ripped the water from the trees, so violently they seemed to explode. She swiped it under the thick ash, throwing it into air to make a dust cloud.

Kana snatched up the dual dao blades, and moved to pick up her fallen companion. She froze when she saw his mask was tilting precariously off his face. She carefully shifted it to the side, letting out a sigh as she gently caressed his face.

"Oh Zuzu, do you make a habit of being a damsel in distress?"

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There was a dull pounding in his head, birds were twittering away, and the sun was shining on his face. He groaned as his eyes opened groggily, and Zuko turned his head to the side. Kana was lazing on a huge oak root, her icy gazed focused on him.

"I was born over a hundred years ago," she said turning her face away, "I miss a lot of people that are gone. I had a friend in the Fire Nation named Kuzon, my guardian was always annoyed that I spent so much time with him. He would always get us in so much trouble, and I'd have to get us out of it." Kana laughed with a rueful smile.

"We would have been friends, right?" She asked, turning her face towards Zuko, who had just been listening to her. Shakily he rose to his feet, unable to meet her pleading gaze.

"We need to get back to the ship." He mumbled, turning his back on her. He heard her hop down from her perch, and walk up behind him. His heart skipped a beat when Kana wrapped her arms around his stomach, and rested her head against his shoulder blades.

"Thank you for saving me."

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Iroh had been up all night, helping the medic with the wounded, but mostly worrying about his nephew and Kana. He had never seen Zuko so distraught, not even when he had gained his scar. He had gotten everything he could from Jee, then just vanished without any warning. All Iroh could do, was wait up, hoping for the best.

So when he saw them walking up the ships ramp, the old man jumped up and rushed forward, engulfing his nephew in a bear hug. Zuko just sighed, and patted his uncles' shoulder before wrestling out of his grasp. Iroh then turned and did the same to Kana, who actually returned his embrace.

"I'm going to sleep, no disturbances." The prince said, walking off to his room. His uncle peered at him as he left, a frown on his face.

"What happened to you two?" he asked. Kana took a deep breath, preparing her lies.

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_Zuko dreamed of an island made of ice and fire. He walked past the cliffs of frozen water, his reflection blurred by the light. It was abnormally warm, and as he continued forward it seemed as if all his worries were melting away under the heat. His mind began to fog in contentment._

_He felt something silky brush across his face, and the scent of nectar from burning ice lilies hit him full force. It smelt like something that reminded him of a far away place filled with worry, anger, and… a tender emotion that resembled- a palace. He had found a palace with pillars that rose so high in the sky he couldn't see them anymore. Behind them stood to oak doors, and as he approached, a tickling of dread filled his stomach. He put his palms against the smooth wood, swinging them open, the scent of burning ice lilies filling his nose._

His eyes flicked open, and he groggily recognized thick mahogany brown tresses tickling his nose.

The fog lifted partly from his mind, and he noticed that his arm was wrapped around Kana's waist. He squeezed her into him, almost like an embrace, in a sleep induced moment of weakness. Then slowly he untangled himself from her, and flipped over.

He drifted back to sleep, but not before he realized that the girls' hair smelt like burning ice lilies, and that she was what had woken him up. He smiled slightly, having one last thought that he wouldn't remember in the morning. _She's so warm, just like a Firebender._

**Well the poll is going down and it looks like you guys like Zukana and Sokkana the most! Haha, I have shipping names. Also you all should of known Aang would not be getting The Blue Spirit episode, it's to much of a relationship speeder upper!**

**And finally, I've decided – since it looks fun – to put up character questions! If you have any questions for any characters, and you want them to be answered by said character, post it in reviews (make sure to say who the question is directed towards)! Each person gets to ask one question per chapter.**


	14. Chapter 14: The Fortune Teller

**Legal Necessities: Turns out it doesn't matter if you have legal necessities after all. But they're amusing, so here you go.**

Chapter 14: The Fortune teller

Iroh knew that Kana had lied about what happened to her and Zuko when she was taken. But whatever actually occurred between the two, they were getting along much better lately. She seemed much more relaxed around him, and he treated her more as a guest instead of a prisoner.

But it was painfully obvious that their sparring matches have gotten increasingly… competitive… to put it lightly. Iroh had found the perfect description in an old book of his, a poem in fact. What he read made him sad for the part of his nephew that was a prince, but smile for the part that wasn't.

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_._

Two colliding forces of nature

One that burns fire

One that drowns water

.

They meet in the middle

An explosion of opposing elements

During the battle

Their desire is to overpower the other

.

Until they draw apart to co-exist

They are yin and yang

Sun and moon

Fire and water

.

And when they combine

As the sun and moon

Under the eclipse

.

The spirits watch

As a new form is made for both

Steam

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_"Where are you taking me first Hariti?" a twelve-year-old Kana asks._

_"To spend a year in the Earth Kingdom, then in the Fire Nation, and finally the Air Nomads." She answered, making the Waterbender pout._

_"I have to wait until I'm fourteen to meet Aang?"_

_"Patience is a virtue child," the nun scolded gently, "he is still to young to learn he is the Avatar, few bend another element like you before being told. But don't fret, you'll get to spend an entire year with him." The girl grinned at that, making her new guardian chuckle. Kana was so excited to see the world!_

_"Where in the Earth Kingdom are we going?"_

_"I'm taking you to meet the future king of Omashu, Bumi." _

_"Why not Ba Sing Se, isn't that the capitol?" the girl asked._

_"Yes, and that is where you'll learn Earthbending. But unlike Ba Sing Se, Omashu has a wide variety of Earth Kingdom culture due to all the travelers that pass through it."_

_"It sounds wonderful."_

_"It is."_

_"Is it better than the Water Tribes?" Kana wondered aloud, making Hariti's brow rise._

_"One culture is neither superior nor inferior to another," she said, "once you learn that, then you'll learn what it means to be the Avatar."_

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"Do you have to stare?" Zuko snapped in aggravation.

"Do you have to meditate with your shirt off?" Kana retorted smoothly, lounging on the bed lazily. After a moment of shocked silence, the prince rose to his feet, looming over her with a smirk.

"Like what you see?" her eyes flicked up and down his body with a bored expression, finally settling on his challenging golden gaze.

"A bit narcissistic, aren't you?" she asked back, making Zuko snort and sit back down to meditate. Apparently he wasn't going to indulge her in playing her game.

"Just so you know, I can see down your dress when you lay like that." Kana's face flooded red, and she jumped up, storming from the room. Zuko awarded his win with a wide grin; he would of course play if he could win, even if it was through a lie.

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_"I don't know if I should slap you, or kiss you!" Kana laughed, holding her sides tightly and leaning against a wall for support._

_"You could do both." Bumi gasped, head between his knees as he tried to gulp in torrents of air to no avail._

_"You're absolutely crazy." She giggled as her friend snorted in laughter. "How you managed to get all of the city guards after us proves it!"_

_"We had to make your last day here interesting, not to mention now I know where to heighten security." He said with a mischievous smile. _

_"I don't think that's going to get us out of trouble when they find us." Kana whispered, still giddy from the adrenaline that was coursing through her veins, as two guards passed the alley they had ducked into. They were still searching for the two fugitives that were on the run._

_"How angry could they possibly get Kana? After all the _Avatar_ was simply proving a point of how easy it was to do this." Her lips turned up into a smirk._

_"I take it back, Bumi. You aren't crazy, you're a mad genius!"_

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"You don't want to use bending today?" Zuko asked in mild surprise.

"Nope, I want the pleasure of smashing your face in with my bare hands." Kana said with a smirk, making his lips go up in a grin.

"It seems I got under your skin." He sneered with a mocking tone. Eyes narrowing, she slid into her stance, and Zuko followed knowing she would take any advantage he gave her.

"I would say it's more along the lines of you peeking under my skirt." She snorted. His eyebrow rose, and he opened his mouth to speak. But before any words could come out, Kana took her opening and dove in for the 'kill'. He was surprised how precise, vicious, and powerful her strikes were.

It was blatantly apparent that she was in it, to win it. And as he knocked her arm away, her fighting style shifted into a new one entirely, making him falter for just a second. She slipped easily under Zuko's arm, and ducked behind him. She followed his moves as he twisted, attempting to get an angle in witch to grab her. Kana stayed determinedly behind him, and laughed.

"If you wanna dance," she sneered, "then I'll show you just how good my moves are!" Twining a leg around one of his calves, she simultaneously jerked and yanked it backward. Most unwillingly he was forced onto one knee, his hand slamming onto the deck to keep him from falling. Kana slid in front of his gaze, hands on hips.

"How honorable Prince Zuko, kneeling in the wake of your defeat!" she teased, bending down to his eye level. Without any warning, he lunged forward grabbing her by the waist, and tackling her to the ground. He snags her wrists, and forces them above her head.

"Who's in the wake of defeat now?" Kana's hips roll, and before he realized what had happened, she had _him _pinned down.

"Still me."

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_"Hariti-" Kana tried, but was silenced from a glare by the nun._

_"I can't believe you used the fact that you were the Avatar to get out of trouble!" the usually even-tempered woman hissed. "How could you abuse your power like that?" The girls face reddened in shame, and instead of answering she just twiddled her thumbs. Part of her shame came from the fact that she had abused her power, and partly because she didn't regret the actions that had gotten her in trouble in the first place. That was what made the nun angry the most, and both knew she wouldn't apologize._

_It wasn't because of pride – Kana thought that emotion was useless – but because, though not the best way to go about it, she had done the right thing. Bumi had been correct in wanting to point out the flaws of the security, so what if they pointed it out by exploiting it?_

_"I don't even think I should be taking you to see Grandma Wu, it seems to much like a reward." Hariti huffed, as her bison began to drift down. Kana's eyes peered over the saddle curiously, and she saw a volcano with flowers lining the brim. They reminded her of burning ice lilies._

_"Who is Grandma Wu?" she asked of her guardian, making the older woman's shoulders tense._

_"She's a fortune teller." She responded simply, making Kana's face scrunch up into a scowl. _

_"Aren't nuns suppose to be forgiving?" she snapped, temper flaring. Hariti turned around and glared at her young charge, making the girl cross her arms, and sit back with a huff. "I guess not."_

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Kana and Iroh sat across from each other, separated by a Pai Sho board. Both were sipping tea, and were wary of the other. The next move could vary well be either on the board, or in the conversation. The old man had been fishing about what had happened when Zhao –a fact he didn't know – took her and she had stayed strong in her lies.

Now it was her turn to question him, and he was dreading when she would speak. Her hand moved toward the board, and as she slid her tile into its new position, she turned her eyes to the old man.

"So Iroh, what do you think of the war?" His nose flares slightly in surprise. Of everything she could have asked him, that wasn't something that he was expecting. But it most certainly should have been, after all, just like he told Zuko – she was manipulative, and incredibly sharp witted. This was exactly why he would sooner trust Azula.

"If we do not end war, war will end us." Iroh stated simply, moving his own tile. "And you, my dear? You once said you except war, but not what your thoughts are on the matter."

"Life is a war in itself. And the sad truth is that the full value of life can only be achieved by fighting. Violence, after all, is in our nature. That is why the violent take life by storm." She moved a piece. "This life of ours is a very enjoyable fight," he moved one. "but a very miserable truce. Only a hypocrite or liar would say they are not fascinated by the macabre of war."

She moved another piece, and Iroh looked down. He had played right into a trap she had set from the beginning. "You are quiet the strategist." He murmured.

"Yes, and you very obviously changed the subject. Does the topic of war make you uncomfortable, Iroh?" His eyes narrowed slightly, and he stroked his beard thoughtfully. Maybe he should avoid questioning Kana about what happened when she had gone missing. It seemed that pressing an issue that didn't want to be discussed, was bad for both of them.

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_Hariti was waiting outside. She said that this was not her business, and that Kana would be wise to take what Grandma Wu said to heart. She had traveled the entire world, and some believed that she had gained her abilities from the spirits. It made the Waterbender nervous._

_"Come on girl, your future awaits you." Grandma Wu murmured gently putting a hand on her shoulder, and leading her into a room. There was a fire pit in the middle, and a bowl of bones sat on a small table. The old woman saw where Kana's eyes traveled, and chuckled. "Take one, it's the most accurate way of telling ones fortune."_

_Doing as she was told, Grandma Wu sat by the fire and motioned for the other girl to sit across from her. "Put the it in the fire, the heat makes cracks in the bone, and I use the cracks to read your destiny."_

_Kana did as the old woman asked, and almost immediately after placing it into the flames, a large crack formed down its length. She watched curiously, wondering what it could mean, but before she could ask another fracture formed. Then another. And another._

_"I've never seen anything like this!" Grandma Wu exclaimed, just at the orange flames roared upward, turning into a brilliant white. The bone hissed for just a moment as it exploded upward, tiny fragments showering the two ladies as the fire died down back to orange._

_"Your destiny - this is incredible - you will be involved in a great battle! An awesome conflict between the forces of good and evil! A battle that will determine the fate of the whole world! But wait... Deep in the embers."_

_"What? What's in the embers?" Kana stuttered, fright feeling her stomach with butterfly-moths._

_"It- it's an epic tale about redemption, forgiveness, finding oneself, and true love in the midst of war and chaos. Fire and water, air and earth, passion and hate, compassion and empathy. It is beautiful, passionate, a forbidden romance, that comes at a time where everything you love is at stake. And a death that can ruin everything."_

_Kana's heart was about to burst out of her chest. She looked at the old woman sitting across from her and felt a shiver to up her spine. She rose from her seat and bowed._

_"Thank you for your time." She choked out, then left with a feeling of dread, and hope._

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"You, are you the Avatar boy?" Aunt Wu asked. Aang looked at her with confusion, but nodded nonetheless. She chuckled. "I already know your future, in fact I've known it for as long as I can remember. My grandmother said there would be a day I'd need to know it, it seems that day has come. Take a seat across the fire, and I will tell you what your destiny is."

"But you didn't even do anything."

"Let's just say an old friend of yours made it very obvious about what your future holds." The old woman chuckled.

**Iroh learned a valuable lesson: leave Kana alone if she doesn't want to talk :P So how did you guys like this chapter, I think it's pretty good, but I might be wrong so tell me. Oh, almost forgot to do this, but looooool! I trolled you all by not telling you guys what Kana and Bumi did to get into trouble! Don't worry though, you'll find out eventually. Yeeeeesssss, eventually, muahahahahahaha!**

**Halloween treat: I updated early :P**

Here are the very first character questions!

**Kana, when are you gonna tell Zuko that you're the other avatar? – **_I would never tell Zuko I was the Avatar, if he can't figure it out by himself, than he doesn't deserve to know._

**I have a question about Kana's appearance; does she have Light blue eyes or Dark blue eyes? –**_ I have very light blue eyes_

** Does she wear Water Tribe or Fire Nation clothes? – **_I wear Water Tribe clothes designed for warm climates, but sport a Fire Nation topknot. _(Like Azula's)


	15. Chapter 15: Kana of the Water Tribe

**Legal Necessities: If I owned this, the Water Tribe would be considerably more powerful.**

Chapter 15: Kana of the Water Tribe

Aang's trail was lukewarm at best, and the longer they stayed docked at port, the more Kana's frustration grew. Despite the fact that she wanted to learn more Firebending techniques, Zuko was close to drifting into... The friend zone. Just the friend zone, nothing more... And the longer she stayed, the more the hot headed prince seemed like a person instead of an enemy. Just like that bastard uncle of his wanted!

"You seem distressed, my dear. Is there anything I can do to set your mind at ease?" Speak of the spirit.

"No, Iroh. I'm fine." Kana responded as the old man walked into her room with a tray of tea. "No Pai Sho today?"

"To much of a good thing is a bad thing, plus it gives me a break from getting my butt whipped!" He laughed tilting his head back. Usually that would make Kana grin, but unfortunately she had to speak with him today about an important situation.

"If we're just going to talk, than I unfortunately need your assistants in a delicate matter," she said looking him in the eye, "I need your help convincing Zuko to let me switch rooms."

"Why, has something occurred between the two of you?" Iroh asked with narrowed eyes, making Kana's cheeks flare red in a blush.

"No! No," she breathed more gently after taking a gulp of air, "it's just that I'm turning sixteen soon, and where I'm from, that's when a girl can - and most often is – married." Iroh relaxed back into his seat with a hearty chuckle.

"We aren't going to forcibly marry you to Prince Zuko - though with Jee we could perform a wedding, he is a captain after all - in fact we couldn't. My nephew has to be either wed to royalty or nobility." He smiled comfortingly at the girl, but she refused to meet his gaze, and chewed unceremoniously on her bottom lip. Iroh's grin grew serious.

"Kana, are you-

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_"- a princess!" She shrieked in between bursts of laughter as her sisters' cheeks flushed red._

_"Well while you were off traveling the world, some people had to take responsibility, and-"_

_"Whatever you say, _your Majesty_." Kana giggled at her sisters' expense._

_"Well you look royally un-princess like, my dear baby sister." The elder of two siblings smirked, "And I think we both know what that means." Kana's face went pale. _

_"That's right... Makeover!"_

_"Nooooo!"_

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The ship jolted to the side, and Kana leapt to her feet, using this as a way to get out of Iroh's question. Without looking back, she bound up to the deck, barely managing to jump out of the way of a giant beast. She hit the deck in a roll, springing back to her feet, and landing in a Firebending stance.

Eyes narrowed, Kana glared at the thing that nearly toppled her, and recognized it as a Shirshu. She had seen one before in the Earth Kingdom, but she had never seen one with a rider. A woman sat atop the animal, brandishing a whip as the beast began to rip a whole through the ships hull.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zuko shouted, racing outside and up to the side of the woman.

"You're harboring a stowaway on your ship, I'm just retrieving him." The woman replied with a smirk.

"There's no stowaway on my ship!"

"Yes there is." Kana said walking up to the prince. "The animal that she's riding is called a Shirshu, it can smell its target over a continent away."

"Smart girl," the woman smirked, as a man crawled onto the deck trying to get away from the beast. Its tongue lashed out, slapping him across the neck, paralyzing the stowaway. She jumped from the animal and threw him over her shoulder, then re-mounted her Shirshu. "Thanks for the hospitality, I'll be retrieving my bounty now. See you later, blue eyes." She grinned, waving a hand as she disappeared over the railing, and into the forest.

"We'll that certainly was interesting. Very interesting." Iroh all but purred, making Kana put her hands on her hips in aggravation. She walked up to the old man and promptly slapped him upside the head.

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_"Hello Father." She murmured, head bowed._

_"Kana. It seems that I am the last person that you've come to see."_

_"Forgive me, but I did not want to interrupt your meeting with the village chiefs." She said, keeping her voice low and respectful._

_"Very well. But why have you come back home? You were suppose to go directly from the Fire Nation to the Southern Air Temple." Kana took a deep breath, before starting._

_"I wanted to discuss training women - other than the Avatar - to fight."_

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"Why am I going with you two, again?"

"Because every time I leave you alone, you end up either half dead, or in need of rescuing." Zuko snapped at the Waterbender, making her snort, and cross her arms as they walked up to the tavern the bounty hunter June was at. But even when the princes' main focus was hiring June, there was this nagging at the back of his mind to make sure Kana was all right.

Anytime something important happened, she seemed to get in the way of fulfilling his goals. But instead of being angry with her, he found himself worrying, and it frustrated him like no tomorrow. When did she become a person that actually deserved his time?

"Out of my way!" He snapped, shoving a random man out of his path. Kana sighed in exasperation, but Zuko just ignored her. He could have - and wanted to - say something much worse, but didn't. So instead of getting in a confrontation with the Waterbender, he moved to the center of the crowd just in time to see June slamming a mans hand into the table, eliciting cheers.

"We'll if it isn't my new friends," the bounty hunter rolled her eyes, "Prince angry with his uncle lazy, and blue eyes too."

"You ruined my ship!" Zuko growled, "You have to pay me back!"

"Sorry, but I'm a little short on cash." She smirked, "Drinks on me!" June moved to bring her glass to her lips, and before the prince could grab her wrist, Kana pushed him out of the way.

"We had something else in mind," she grinned while taking the Water Tribe peasants necklace from her belt. "Tracking to be specific." June eyed the pendant before leaning back in her chair.

"Sorry, but I'm I'm a little busy if you couldn't tell."

"Than how about we arm wrestle for it, I win and your services are payment for the ship." June's brow arched, and she tapped her cup in thought.

"And when I win?" Kana smiled in a way that made Zuko wary of what she would say next, but instead of speaking so everyone could hear her, she leaned forward and whispered into June's ear. She pulled back with a smirk that made his mind buzz with suspicion. "Plus we'll pay your weight in gold." At the mention of money, the bounty hunters eyes snapped into focus, and she grinned.

"You got yourself a deal." Kana sat in front of her, and placed her hand in front of June. She took it in hers, making shouts and jeers erupt all around them. Zuko watched as their hands shook, yet somehow remained in the middle of the table. They stayed that way for at least a minute, then Kana's hand began to tilt down.

"The bounty hunter must be going easy on you," he snorted, "I guess I over estimated you. But what can you expect from a girl?" The prince watched as the Waterbenders face flushed an angry red, and without warning, she smashed June's hand into the table. Cheers of shock exploded, and Zuko couldn't help but allow himself a self-satisfied smile. _That's what I thought._

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_Kana's face was a bright pink, her hair – though in a braid – was flying everywhere in the wind. She crept along a snow bank, her blue parka sticking out sharply among the icy tundra. But when she dragged a snow mole – which looked exactly like a badger mole, just white – back to her village, then she would prove that women were just as capable as men._

_The only problem- she couldn't find one of the beasts, and it was impossible to go into the snow tunnels they make, and come out alive. Her father had told her they were here, that one would confront her. __**They like easy prey, **__he had said. But all humans seemed like easy prey in the wake of those creatures._

_She moved around the white mound of frozen water, then out of no where, she heard a roar from behind her. Before Kana could even react, she felt five claws rake across her skin, shredding the back of her parka._

_She was tossed to the ground, and frantically rolled to her side, bringing up a wave of snow at her assailant. The force blasted back the animal easily, and as she crawled away from it, she realized it was a Polar Bear dog. Not just any Polar Bear dog, but one that had been trained in her village, but i__t hopped back to its paws, cutting off her train of thought._

_ She repeated her first move, slamming the animal back down, then once more, making the creature whimper and run away. Kana let out a gasping breath as the adrenaline faded, and the lacerations on her back brought tears to her eyes. Taking in a stinging lungful of frigid air, she gathered water to her hand, and as it stared to glow a faint blue, a boot crushed her fingers. She looked up and saw…_

_"Dad?"_

_"Damn it, Kana. You always have to mess up everything, why couldn't you just let that Polar Bear dog kill you?" Her eyes opened wide, and she couldn't even speak. She tried to sputter out a response, but he just put more pressure on her fingers. "You were never a good girl as a child, but then that damn nun came. I should never have allowed her to take you, then you never would have become a thorn in my side."_

_Kana narrowed her eyes in sudden realization. Why he agreed to train woman if she could complete this hunt, and that mutt that had attacked her. If he sent her out here, she would be in the perfect condition to kill, and none would be the wiser. _

_"They already wanted to be trained as warriors didn't they? Because of me. And you thought that if I was gone, was shown as weak, they wouldn't want that any more. But you're wrong; you never gave enough credit to women. It's to late, if you don't allow them to fight, then they'll just go against you."_

_"Yes well," her father growled, "if the Avatar couldn't deal with a simple hunt, then I'm certain I can convince them they can't either." Kana just laughed, flipping onto her torn back. With on quick motion she flung the snow at him – with the hand he hadn't pinned down – and watched as he skid twenty feet away. _

_As he tried to get back to his feet, she brought up her fist, and smashed it into the ground. The ice split across the tundra, a large fissure racing towards her father so fast that he couldn't even jump out of the way. He fell with a scream right into a snow mole tunnel. With a hiss, Kana rose to her feet and walked to the edge where her father had fallen._

_"Kana!" he snarled, "Get me out of here this instant!" A slow smirk spread across her face as the ground rumbled, making him pale with fright. The moles were coming, and they really didn't take well to intruders. "If you get me out I'll let women fight, Kana please!"_

_"Well the thing about that," she grinned, "is without you, I take over. And I know I'm not lying. Bye daddy, see you in the next life." Her father let out a scream as she brought her arms together, closing the tunnel._

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"What exactly did you say to June?" Zuko asked, making Kana raise an eyebrow.

"Why do you care?" she asked with a teasing lilt. "Jealous?"

"No!" he snapped, "I just want to know what you promise to people to make sure you can actually keep them." She just laughed, shaking her head.

"Don't worry, it was nothing I couldn't keep."

"I think I should be the one to decide that." He growled.

"If you're so curious, why don't you ask June?" Zuko's face reddened, and Kana smirked. "That's what I thought." The prince grit his teeth in anger, he knew what it would take to make her tell him.

"Kana," he hissed, "would you please tell me what you promised?" she looked at him in surprise, then her lips spread into a warm smile, one that wasn't teasing. He swallowed, a sudden lump forming in his throat. He'd never seen her smile like that, actually sincere.

"I just told her that we wouldn't turn her into the law for all the bounties _she_ must have built up. After all, her job requires a certain amount of breaking the rules." Zuko let out a sigh, making Kana smirk yet again. "Why, what do you think I said?"

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_"My father has been missing for over a week," Kana announced, "and it is time to except the facts that he will not be returning." Her voice echoed around the conference room, the chiefs of the South Pole's tribe watching her with their utmost respect. "I will be leaving soon to go to the Southern Air Temple, which means that I will leave the Southern Water Tribes in one of your hands."_

_"Can your sister not take over?" one of the men asked._

_"No. She is scheduled to leave in one month's time to the Northern Water Tribes to be married. I will make my decision by the end of the week, but this was not the reason for my calling this meeting."_

_"Yes I think we all know why you called us hear." Another man snorted, "And I don't think any of us are willing to cooperate with you."_

_"Whether you are willing or not, does not matter. As the princess of the Southern Water Tribe, and the Avatar, you will show me the proper respect or suffer the consequences. Understood?" she hissed, making the men shift uncomfortably. "Good. Now you will begin training women in the art of combat, if they so desire. And on another note, you will also train men to be healers, if _they_ so desire it."_

_"Princess, I don't know how well such a drastic change will go over with the villages."_

_"It's in our nature to adapt, and we will do it flawlessly. Trust me, we'll be stronger then you could ever imagine. All you have to do is trust in your people to know what they're doing."_

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Kana's hands were bound as they raced into the perfumery. They were getting close, and Zuko knew better then to leave her hands free. They raced forward through the trees, crashing onto a dirt path.

"Katara, Sokka!" she yelled as the prince jumped off the back of the Shirshu.

"Where is he," he growled, "where's the Avatar?"

"We split up," Sokka snapped, "he's long gone by now!"

"How stupid do you think I am?"

"Pretty stupid." Kana sneered, making him glance back at her with a scowl. The two Water Tribe siblings made a run for it, but the Shirshu snapped its tongue out, slapping their skin.

"What do we do now?" Zuko asked in a strained voice. June clicked her tongue and the large animal walked forward, sniffing along Sokka's back until a scroll fell from his pack.

"Its seeking a different scent, perhaps something the Avatar held." The beast looked up with a snuffling sound. "He's got it, lets go!"

Zuko quickly picked up the two Water Tribe siblings and pushed them onto the Shirshu.

"Hey Kana, your looking pretty good for being held prisoner."

"You never change Sokka, do you?"

"Eh, you know me."

"Not as much as I'd like too." Kana smiled slightly at him. Zuko hopped back onto the beast, separating the three Water Tribe members, with what seemed like aggravation. They raced forward at a breakneck speed down the trail, and in no time they saw the perfumery, and smashed through the door for a second time. The animal started to go around and around.

"What's it doing, we're just going in a circle!" Zuko snarled. Kana looked up just in time to see Aang flying down towards them, his eyes narrowing when he saw her. She barely had time to push off of the Shirshu as it rose on its hind legs, and tossed everyone off its back. Only she landed with a semblance of grace.

June was the first person to jump back to their feet, slashing at her pet with her whip to make it stand back up. Appa slams the beast into a wall, just as Zuko rises to attack. Without hesitation, Kana crouched down, swiping his legs out from under him, as she races towards Aang. She brought her bound hands to her lips, and pulled at the knot sliding the rope from her wrist, just as she reached her friend.

Before he can react, she grabbed his wrist, and yanked him into a canal of what looked like dirty water. She brought her arms up right before they hit the liquid, creating a bubble around them, and promptly freezed it.

Aang lunged into her arms, and they take a moment to just hug, but Kana pushed him back quickly. They only had a few minutes. With a deep breath, a ball of fire forms in her palm, making the Airbender gasp.

"Kana, you can Firebend!"

"I need you to listen very carefully Aang, in a few days a Fire nation colony is going to have The Fire Days Festival. Two days from then, Zuko's ship is going to be docked at the end of the river. Meet me there no later than noon, okay?" he nodded in bewilderment, and Kana gave him one last hug. "See you then, Aang."

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_"I'm going to miss you little sister." Her sister said, throwing her arms around her. She squeezed tightly, making Kana wince. "Sorry, I forgot about your back."_

_"It's fine, the healers did a wonderful job patching me up. Its just a little tender still, the gashes were pretty deep."_

_"Maybe you should take more time to recuperate, I could delay they wedding. We could stay here and stabilize everything."_

_"I know we live in the South Pole, but that's no excuse for getting cold feet!" Kana joked, as she cradled her sisters' face in her hand, and smiled warmly. "You'll make a beautiful bride, Yue."_

**Eh. Eh!? What do you think? I added the slight interaction between Aang and Kana for Dream Lighting, I know it was rushed but that was all I could do at the moment :D Also I thought of something funny!**

**Zuko: OMG DID YOU JUST TAANG?**

**Katara: What! No!**

**Zuko: Are you sure? Because we could totally Zutara.**

Here are the character questions!

**Kana... ever thought of kissing Zuko?**_ – (blushes) well he is very attractive… I MEAN NO!_

**Zuko: What do you think of Kana?**_ – She is absolutely infuriating! … but she's something else too..._


	16. Chapter 16: The Deserter

**Legal Necessities: Kana does belong to me, but the others don't Q.Q**

Chapter 16: The Deserter

"I'm surprised at you nephew," Iroh stated, "Usually you wouldn't allow our guest to roam after a meeting with the Avatar."

"It's my fault what happened, I should have made sure she was properly restrained before attempting to capture the Airbender."

"That's very mature of you Prince Zuko, but the reason I wanted to talk to you, was to discuss your future. How would you feel about marrying a princess?"

"Uncle! This is no time for your jokes!" Iroh watched as his nephew stormed away, and stroked his beard with a contemplative smirk. He was right; this wasn't the time for jokes. He just didn't know this old man wasn't kidding.

"What did you do to upset him this time, Iroh?" Kana asked, walking up to him.

"I was just asking him about his feelings on marriage. His father and mother married at eighteen, and he is coming to that age where marriage should be on his mind. He is the Prince of the Fire Nation after all."

"This doesn't have anything to do with our discussion, a few days ago does it?" Kana asked with narrowed eyes.

"On the contrary, you simply reminded me that my nephew has grown into a young man." Kana sighed as she placed a hand on her hip, and looked at her old friend. The old mans eyes sparkled with more mirth than this conversation deserved, making her tap her finger in suspicion.

"Right… well it's time for training, maybe blasting fire in my face will cool Zuko down." She said, as she started towards the deck. Iroh grinned, and followed her. His mind wandering back to when he had first seen Kana, and what he had said to his nephew. _Great catch, Prince Zuko._

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"Happy Fire Days!" Jee exclaimed with a large grin, making Kana jump in surprise.

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"The crew convinced Prince Zuko that a small vacation would be good for everyone, and it just so happens that the Fire Days Festival is being held nearby. We're all going, including the prince."

"Wow, how'd you manage to convince him?"

"We didn't convince _him_ to go, but to let _you_ go." Jee said with a wide grin. "Go speak with Iroh, he should have your outfit."

"My outfit?"

"It's a Fire Nation event, you have to be dressed in Fire Nation clothing."

"Oh…" Kana murmured looking at her blue skirt, "I guess that makes sense, who cares anyways? At least I'll be able to get off this ship, and see some genuine Fire Nation culture."

"Yup, that's the whole reason for this festival!"

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"Hurry up, before I change my mind!" Zuko shouted at his door. "Everyone's already left, Kana!"

"Shut up!" she snapped back, making him jump. "If you don't want go than fine, I guess we'll just stay here!" At her words, the prince did a double take. What? Something was definitely wrong, and there was no way he would let her get away with whatever she was planning.

Without warning, he barged into the room, and felt a pillow smack him right in the face. He looked up furiously, then felt his jaw drop open slightly before he could stop it. Kana was in full Fire Nation clothing, her face as red as the silk she was wearing. She definitely wasn't the kind of person to wear that _willingly_.

"What's the problem," he asked voice cracking slightly, "do you not like wearing Fire Nation clothing?"

"You know damn well that isn't it, Zuko!" she hissed, clenching her hands into fists. "Look at what your damn uncle is making me wear!" she said motioning frantically to the dress. He tried not to stare, but couldn't help it. Silk looked much different than cotton; in fact it looked much _better_.

"I still don't see the problem, you look fine." She looked better than fine. The red dress contrasted nicely with her skin color, it clung to her better than the clothes she usually wore, and there was a large diamond exposing her stomach. He could practically hear his uncles' laughter when he had asked about her outfit.

"It's not that I look bad, Zuko. I'm from the Water Tribes, I've never worn something like this!" she exclaimed, tugging at her hair nervously. He rolled his eyes, that's what the problem was? With an exasperated sigh, he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the room. She began to protest, but with a smirk, the prince said something he knew would get her to be quiet.

"You should wear red more often, it looks really good on you."

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They walked into town together, Kana straying from his side as her eyes danced when taking in the sights. Her smile was so wide; it looked like it might split her face. Zuko's shoulders slumped slightly at the hop in her step. She wouldn't try anything here. He allowed himself to relax, just in time for her to latch onto his arm, and drag him to a mask vendor.

"Those two please!" she exclaimed in excitement, pointing at a red and black mask, and a gold one with two red dots on the cheeks to make it seem like it was blushing. She slid the gold one over her face, and offered him the red one.

"No." he said simply, making her tip her mask onto the top of her head with a frown.

"You dragged me out of my room to come here, so you are going to participate in this festival, whether you like it or not."

"I'm not wearing the mask, Kana."

"Put it on, or I'll put it on for you." She hissed with narrowed eyes. Zuko snorted.

"And how exactly do you plan to-" she smashed into his side, pushing him into a dark alley. He went sprawling to the ground, the Waterbender pouncing as soon as he was down. Before he could even react the mask was forced onto his face, and through the eyeholes, he could see the girls smug smirk.

He dumped her onto the floor, and she landed with a tiny oomph. With one quick motion he rose to his feet, and tore the mask from his face. In an equally quick motion, he was knock onto his stomach, the mask ripped from his hand, and back over his head. Kana was sitting on his back, successfully pinning him down.

"I can do this all night, Zuzu." She murmured into his ear

"Fine damn it," he growled, "I'll wear the stupid mask!"

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They continued down the streets, and no matter how much he tried, Zuko couldn't keep a scowl on his face. Though he couldn't see Kana's expressions, he knew she was smiling. She was so _different, _compaired to all the other girls he knew. All of them would look down at this festival, saying it was pathetic, and rather idiotic. But she just laughed, not bothering to stay next to him, yet not running away either.

He shuddered at what Azula would do to this festival, because she would consider it boring. The thought distracted him for a minute, and when he shook his head to clear it, Kana was weaving her way to the front of a crowd. Zuko let out a frustrated growl, and rushed after her. Just as he pushed a kid out of the way, a flock of doves flew from a burst of flames.

"I've got to learn that trick!" he just rolled his eyes, shifting closer to Kana, and looking back up at the stage.

"Thank you!" the perform projected his voice, "For my next trick, I'll need a volenteer!" The kid next to him started jumping up and down, trying to get his attention, until an older boy grab his shoulder and whispered something into his ear.

"How about you, little lady." The performer said pointing in his direction. He snapped his head around and saw Kana, just standing there. She peered at him through her mask, then took a step back waving her arms.

"Aw, she's shy! Lets give her some encouragement!" someone pushed her forward, and the performer grabbed her arm, yanking her on stage. He plopped her into a chair, and quickly tied a ribbon around her stomach. "This next trip is called taming the dragon," she exclaimed while tipping her chin to look up at him, "you will be my captured princess.

With a few flourishes of his arms, a a serphant formed from the flames, circling the stage. "Don't worry young maiden, I will tame this firy beast!" the performer lashed out his hand, a lasso circling the "dragon's" neck. The flames circled some more before the man spoke again. "It's too strong, I can't hold it!"

"We gotta help her!" the kid Zuko had shoved out of the way yelled.

"Calm down!" he snapped in annoyance, arms crossed.. "It's just a parlor trick, she's not in any danger. I wouldn't let her be in danger." He turned back to the show, and watched as the "dragon" soared down aiming for her face. The performer jumped in front of the "beast", with a yell.

"You may not have her, foul creature!" he shouted at the roaring fire, and blasted out a jet of flames. There was a slight explosion and confetti flew everywhere. He heard a sigh come from the boy next to him, and just shook his head. Kana was untied, the performer bowed, kissing her hand and she hopped back to the ground next to Zuko.

"That was kind of funny." Kana said as the crowd – including the annoying kid and his friends – started to walk away. "He overacted, by quite a bit."

"What did you expect, he's a mediocre performer at best." He shrugged. With a huff she caught his arm, stopping him, and flipped up her mask to show her displeased expression. He didn't bother to give her the courtesy of taking off his own, mostly because instead of a scowl his eyebrows were just raised in amusment.

"Look," she snapped, "I know you don't want to be here, but you could at least respect the fact that these performers bring culture to _your_ people, who are far away from their homes."

"I didn't mean it in that way, Kana."

"Whatever," she hissed while placing the gold mask back over her face, "it's getting late, maybe we should just go back to the ship."

"No." she looked at him in – what he suspected – a surprised manner, "you're right. We are going to stay until the end of the festival." She continues to stare at him, and he can see her blue eyes sparkle through the holes in her mask. With a shrug she walks away to another attraction, and soon Kana is as bouncy as ever, happy to be there.

They don't stay until the end of the festival, because at one point both admit they're tired. On their walk back, Kana wouldn't stop nudging Zuko until he said that spending his time there, wasn't as completely boring as he had thought. She accepts these words with a laugh, and his lips perk up just enough to be considered a smile.

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Zuko had a good dream that night.

_Long ago the Moon and the Sun were allies – that they still were. The Sun gave its light to the world, but it could not do so forever because that would burn everything. So he asked the Moon to be in the night sky, and bestow some of her light to the Earth in his stead. She agreed, and together they lit the world._

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Kana couldn't help but smirk. Her plan was absolutely full proof, and though the punishment would be bad, the reward would be worth it. She walked along the side of the ships railing, slowly making her way to Zuko, who just happened to be standing near a bucket of water. The set up couldn't be more perfect.

With a twirl she kicked the air, a stream of water blasting the prince over the side of the ship, with a yelp of surprise. She dashed to wear he had fallen, just in time to see him latch onto the anchor, but not before he had been completely submerged in the sea. She smirked, and waved a mock angry fist at him.

"That's for barging into my room before I told you, you could!" she yelled, unable to hide the laugh in her voice. He let out a roar, and began to scale the large chain, making Kana dash away into the ships interior. She pushed past bewildered crewman, and narrowly avoided toppling an unsuspecting Iroh.

She sped into her room, and skid underneath the bed to wait for Zuko. Back pressed firmly into the wall, she hoped he wouldn't be able to reach her. Her heart fluttered with panic when she heard him marching up and down the halls, calling her, and asking anyone if they'd seen her.

When he entered the room, she held her breath, as he walked slowly to the beds and sat down. He tapped his foot once, and before she could even blink they were face to face. Kana clutched at her chest, she swore she nearly had a heart attack!

"Kana. Come out. Now." Zuko said evenly, his face a mask.

"N-no." She stuttered, "There is no way I'm trusting your face."

"What does that mean?" he snapped, making her relax, and actually smile. That was the Zuko she knew. "I didn't think you would be so juvenile as to actually hide underneath the bed."

"It's not juvenile, it's called strategy." Kana sneered, just as he made a lung forward, trying to reach her. She sucked in her stomach, and his hand brushed her belly, curling under her belt for a second.

"You can't stay under there forever."

"No, but I can stay here longer than you can."

"Which is exactly why I didn't try and grab _you_." He smirked, as a blue stone and ribbon dangled from his fingers, making Kana hiss.

"That's cheating!"

"I believe you called it strategy. Now unless you want this going into the ocean, come out." He growled. She bared her teeth at him, then grunted as she shifted onto her stomach to crawl out. Zuko stood to the side to wait, and when Kana managed to get halfway out, a bucket of freeze water was dumped over her back.

She froze in shock, her breath catching in her throat. Zuko's laughter echoed through the room, and she grit her teeth. It took all her willpower to keep from steaming – literally. With a yell she leapt from the floor, gathering water from her clothes, and propelling it into his face.

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Zuko sat in front of his shrine trying to meditate. But he was distracted by the fact Kana was in the other room, drying her clothes. He couldn't relax, he was certain she would try something, so when the door opened he looked up. She glanced at him with a smirk, but just walked past him none-the-less.

He waited until he heard her lay down on the bed, until relaxing. With a deep breath, the flames rose, then lowered as he exhaled. His mind emptied of everything, a reprieve from his anger filled thoughts. _Less angry since Kana's been here_. No. He couldn't think like that, there was no room for- a cool finger trailed down his bare back, making his muscles tense in surprise.

"Where did you get this?" Kana murmurs, brushing – what he remembered was – a scar. He turned his head to peer at her, and she removed her hand from his back.

"A training accident when I started working with the Dao swords, I turned my back on my opponent."

"Why didn't you use practice swords?"

"Because using practice swords, aren't the same as using real ones."

"Oh." Kana said, standing from her crouching position. This time he watched her go to the bed, and waited until her breathing evened out, to get back to meditating.

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_Zuko didn't tell anyone why he had shaved his head on the sides. The truth was, it was because of the burn. Everything had been about the burn, it seemed, as soon as he'd gotten it. Shaving around the ponytail was a gesture, like he didn't care about the burn. It was about displaying it like it hadn't hurt, like his pride wasn't wounded, like his father's abuse hadn't had any effect on him. If he was going to have a burn, he had to have that burn._

_But the heat was unbearble. It was a constant fire that never went out, nothing could stop the raging inferno that spread out of control. Everything was its fuel, a gust of wind, the earth, even other fires. All of it made it grow, and he was in the middle of it. The very heart of the fire, the image of his father's fury burning that melted his face away._

_A burning ice lily floated from the sky, landing on the ground where he knelt at his fathers feet. The aroma was faint, but it was there. And as he picked up the flower a thousand more fell, pinning him to the burning floor. The orange tounges tried to lick his skin, but the lilies burst to life. White fire that stopped the inferno._

_"Zuko." Their was a voice. A voice that was pulling from the fire, he tried to lift himself up, but the flowers pushed him back down. _"Zuko!"

He woke up sweating, Kana pinning him to the bed, barely restraining him. She had a red mark on her face, as if she had been slapped. And from the franitc look in her eye, he knew he had been the one that had done it. She stared into his eyes for a second, then slowly, let go of his arms. He swung his legs over the bed, pushing himself into a sitting position, and prodded two fingers against his burn.

"We wear our scars," Kana whispers, "but they don't have to wear us."

"It's not that simple." He snarled, lurching from the bed, turning the burnt side of his face away.

"You're right." She said, "You have to wear yours on your face, a constant reminder. But you think it's a reminder of your mistakes, when in fact, it's a reminder that you did the right thing. And was punished for it."

"And what would you know about it?" He yelled, spinning around to meet her eyes. He nearly flinched back, because the blue pools were not filled with pity, but with understanding. "How could you possibly know?" He croaked.

Kana stood, and he took a step back, halting halfway in a defensive stance. She gazed at him uncertainly, then turned around, showing her back. Zuko just watched as she brushed her brown hair over a shoulder, stiff with tension. And before he knew what was happening, the light blue cloth dipped, showing her tanned skin.

"What are you doing!" he yelped, making her stop for a fraction of a second. She let the top of her dress fall to her waist. And as he stared at her bare back, Zuko's nose flared, and he let out a steam filled hiss. Five jagged, thick lines trailed down her back, reaching like greedy fingers to her waist. Kana pinched the white bindings on the sides, displaying how the scars flowed up to brush the bottom of her shoulder blades.

"One clear difference between us," Kana murmured, pulling the dresses sleeves back onto her arms, "is that I killed the person who gave those to me."

"Who," he whispered, "who did that to you?"

"With your parents love, you feel like you could accomplish anything, so when they reject you, you're hollow inside... We have a lot more in common than you think, Zuzu." _She killed her father._

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Her muscles were coiled tightly, and she stalked back and forth across his room like a caged Tiger Panther. He watched her warily, waiting for what she had wanted to tell him, when she turned on her heel sharply. Kana's eyes were bright with determination. "Aang is coming here today. To save me."

"What?" Zuko exclaimed in excited confusion.

"I'm telling you this, because you deserve a fair chance-" the prince turned to leave and order his men to get ready, just in case, but as he opened the door she lunged forward slamming the door shut.

"I challenge you to Agni Kai!" Zuko recoiled as if slapped, "If you win, then I stay here. If I win, then you let me leave without any opposition." The silence dragged for a minute before he found his voice, which was filled with anger.

"Agni Kai is a fire duel," he shouted, "there's no way you could win, I'll have to burn you!"

"You are honor bound to accept my challenge, and its conditions."

"I'll have to burn you." He hissed.

"Not if I make you burn yourself."

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"I beg you not to fight her, Prince Zuko!" Iroh pleaded, "Going against a master Waterbender on the open seas is insane!"

"This is Agni Kai, Uncle." Zuko said, turning to face his opponent. "Water doesn't burn." His golden gaze meets Kana's blue, and he barely has time to notice the corners of her lips pick up in a smirk. She's so fast, that he almost can't follow her movements. He can't count how many steps she runs, before hopping in the air spinning. One foot lashes out, a jet of fire aimed at his chest.

His muscles freeze in place, another blast from her other foot following the first. Zuko sees her land, just as the fire rams into his body, blowing him across the deck. _This is a dream! _He bounces off the metal floor, landing on his back. _She can't Firebend! _ A shadow obscures the suns light, its fist on fire, aiming for his face. _Move!_ He rolls out of the way, sparks erupting by the side of his head.

"Shock wear off yet, or am I gonna continue to beat your ass?" Kana sneers with a mocking lilt. Zuko let's out a snarl, and on pure instinct his foot swiped under her legs, making her topple to the floor. He rolls away, but by the time he's up, Kana's already back on her feet. Her eyes darkened for a moment, and he swore the ship began to tremble, frost spreading from where she stood. But in a second the expression is gone, and so is the frost.

"Who are you?" He snarls, fists blazing to life.

"Master of all four elements, the most powerful person in the world, bridge between the Spirit World. Ring a bell?"

"Your the Avatar? I've had the Avatar on my ship the whole time!" He shouted, fury building in his chest. She narrowed her eyes, her lips never dipping out of their smirk.

"I was surprised Iroh didn't tell you, but when I confronted him about it he had only a single thing to say. That you didn't deserve the throne, that your sister was a thousand times more worthy, and that you only brought **_shame_**_._" She seemed to direct the last word through Zuko, a purr to her voice, caressing, even.

His arms fell slightly, uncertainty filling his eyes, and he turned his head to look at his uncle, the only person that cared about him. "No, never turn away from your opponent!"

All at once time sped up, but Iroh's warning came to late, and before he can even register his uncles' words, he's thrown into the railing. Zuko drops to his knees, then flops onto his back, a slight burn on the back of his hand. Kana entered his line of sight, then crouched down. He could swear he saw tears gathering in her eyes.

"Water will wear away a stone, until it crumbles." She murmurs, "I didn't know you had all but fallen apart. I'm sorry about what I did, I knew it would hurt you, but I couldn't chance losing." Zuko had seen the hundred different faces that Kana had. Each was her, just a layer that could be peeled back, some thicker and others thinner. But this was at the very center of all those faces, her true face.

One that showed who she really was- a person that hated to hurt others. A person that knew it was wrong, but necessary to do certain things, even if they abhorred them. It froze him to the deck, that one truth in a sea of lies. Tenderly, she pressed two fingers to her lips, then gently to his. "See you soon."

With that she vanishes over the railing, the only thing he hears, a splash. Zuko struggled to his feet, rushing to look over the rails. A roar came from the sky, and at the same time he looks up a tornado of water rose from the sea, Kana riding it. The Flying Bison soared overhead, tipping its massive body to the side, the Avatar reaching out a hand.

The Airbender and the Waterbender clasped hands, and he pulled her from the frothing water, pulling her onto the giant beast. Zuko's gaze met Kana's one last time before she disappears into the clouds. _See you soon, deserter._

**Hehe. How did you like this chapter? I think I leveled the fluff with the angst, and this was my favorite chapter yet :)**** Also, why no character questions? You know you have them! Don't think you can just ask Kana and Zuko questions! Imagine what the others do to0! Their answers would be considerably different.**

**One last thing! The person Zuko was talking to at the Fire Days festival was Aang LOOOOL. Ask character questions. Do it.**

Character questions answered!

**Zuko: are you starting to LIKE Kana, more than a friend anyways?**_ – Kana… is the enemy. _


	17. Chapter 17: The Northern Air Temple

Legal Necessities: I forgot what I was going to say

Chapter 17: The Northern Air Temple

"Why did we come here if we aren't even going to listen to his story?"

"I agree with Sokka," Aang said, "Airbending stories are great, but I want to know what happened on Zuko's ship."

"At first I was just like any other prisoner, Zuko made sure that nothing happened to me," Kana sighed, directing her words to the older Water Tribe boy, who nodded once in understanding. He visibly relaxed, and she continued. "But then I had a vision of Kyoshi, she told me to do whatever was necessary to learn Firebending." Another pointed look at Sokka. "And the only thing that I knew he wanted was you, Aang."

"How come he didn't just take you back to the Fire Nation after discovering you were the Avatar?" Katara asked, and the other two nodded.

"Because I lied. I never said I could Firebend, just that I wanted to know the forms in the hopes of better understand my own element."

"And he fell for that?"

"Not him, his uncle. He probably thought that I wanted to know the forms to find a weakness, to be better prepared to fight it."

"Okay guys, I want to know what happened next!" Aang exclaimed in annoyance, making Kana smile gently in amusement.

"I didn't actually know where you guys were, but I managed to convince Zuko that I knew your flight patterns well enough to be of use tracking you. In truth I actually did know the gist of where you were heading, and in what direction Aang would most likely take once we knew where he had been. I didn't feel bad about it, my help wasn't worth much. Well, that is until he found Katara's necklace… Katara's necklace!" Kana exclaimed, making everyone jump.

She reached into her belt, and pulled out a blue ribbon with a shining stone in the middle. Katara gasped, crawling forward to take the piece of jewelry. It pooled in her hands, and the other Waterbender was close enough to notice tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Zuko wanted to make sure you got that back." She said with grin.

"That's so sweet of Zuko," Katara cooed, putting on her innocent face. "Would you give him a kiss for me when you see him?"

"Of course!" she replied back, as both burst into laughter, and Katara bent forward pecking Kana on the cheek. And for that one moment of silence that none of the group spoke, they heard a single sentence from the storyteller.

"Great-grandpappy saw the air people just last week!"

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"Aang, are you sure you want to do this?" Kana asked gently while placing a hand on his shoulder. "If they aren't there-"

"That isn't the reason we're coming here, well it's part of it, but there is also I need to get from there." She just looked at him, and sat back down. In truth she didn't want him to get his hopes up, because then at least both of them wouldn't be crushed.

"Look!" Katara shouted excitedly, "They're Airbenders!" Everyone strained forward, trying to get a better look of the temple. Kana's heart lifted for a second as she watched people soar through the sky on green gliders. Her mood dipped suddenly.

"No, they're not." she whispered, shoulders slumping in defeat. She shouldn't have even considered the thought that any of the Airbenders besides Aang had survived Sozin's purge.

"What are you talking about?" Sokka yelled, "They're flying!"

"Gliding maybe, but not flying." Aang said, in what she knew was numb pain. "You can tell by the way they move, they're not Airbending. Those people have no spirit."

"Ahahahahaha!" the echoing laughter of a boy soaring through the air in a chair nearly warned them too late. The Water Tribe siblings nearly had their heads knocked in by the wheels, and Kana nearly had a heart attack. That was completely dangerous!

"I don't know Aang, that kid seemed pretty spirited." Katara gasped peering at him through her fingers. His face was pinched down into a scowl, then suddenly his lips picked up in a challenging smirk.

"Oh, no." Kana groaned while rubbing her temples. "Don't draw it out to long." She said with a tiny smile as he flew from Appa's back. She hopped onto the giant bison's head, taking hold of the reigns. A group of gliding kids slid towards them, making the bison let out an annoyed growl- he didn't like being boxed in.

"We better get to solid ground, before it comes to us!" Sokka shouts.

"That's a great idea, Captain Obvious." Kana snorted, veering towards an old temple landing.

"No problem, Lieutenant Sarcasm." He drawled back.

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It was horrible, nauseating, and appalling. What they had done to the Air temple was wrong, it caused an ache to pound in her chest with each thump of her heart. Steam and smoke, pools of gurgling liquids with pipes desecrating the history of an entire people. I made her sick.

"This is..." Kana tried, but the words stuck in her throat.

"I know, it's great, huh?" Teo said happily, making her smooth out her features. Her face was like marble, a look of indifference plastered on, like nothing was the matter.

"No," Aang mumbled, "it's just unbelievable."

"They use to come here when there were still Airbenders," Katara said, patting Teo's shoulder. "I think they're just shocked that its so different."

"So much better." Sokka exclaimed, making Kana flinch. He blinked in surprise, face falling in guilt. "I didn't mean-"

"You can have your own opinions, Sokka." She said numbly, "If you like this... Place... That's fine." She took a deep breath - probably not the best decision with the tainted air - putting a comforting hand on the Water Tribe boys shoulder, making him grin slightly. She glanced at Aang for a moment before sighing, "I just wish that something was the same."

"Well," Teo said hesitantly, "There is one place that hasn't been touched."

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She hated this place with every fiber of her being. Nature at least knew where to stop, but these people just didn't care. Kana didn't dislike Sokka for wanting to find out more about this place, it was understandable. He had nothing to compare it to, so he didn't no how monstrous it was. No she couldn't be mad with him, but she could hate the person that would destroy something sacred for a bathhouse.

Aang walked up to her, and sat down. She kept her knees pulled up to her chest, together they sat there in silence for what felt like hours. Both of them knew she was holding in feelings that went deeper than she was letting on, but the Air Nomads were never ones to push. She would have to start the conversation, but how should she begin? She took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.

"It's my fault. Everything."

"How is it your fault, you weren't even here." The Airbender said, turning his head to look at her.

"Exactly," Kana murmured, "I wasn't here... Remember in the Southern Air Temple how I told you that it was nobodies fault what happened?" He nodded, "Well I lied. It was my fault."

"Kana-"

"Don't. Just don't, Aang. I should have done a thousand things different, starting with not letting the monks tell you, you were the Avatar until the proper age. But I was weak!" She shouted, biting her lip as tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "I was so concerned about myself and selfish that I didn't see what was best for you! I knew it was the right thing to let you grow up more, but I could only see myself."

"Don't think like that, Kana! It was hard at first with you by my side, I don't know if I could have waited as long as you did knowing there was someone, and only one other person, that could understand."

"I shouldn't have let you leave." She croaked.

"If you had stopped me - and we never left - then Sozin would have killed us both, and the Avatar cycle really would be over." Kana shook her head in denial, he was wrong.

"I could have stopped him."

"You hadn't even begun to learn Earthbending when the comet came, there was nothing you could do." Aang put a hand on her shoulder, and squeezed. "The monks had a saying. That life could only be understood backwards, but it could only be lived forwards. We're needed _here_, now."

As Kana swiped at her eyes furiously, she let out a shaky breath. By the time she opened her eyes, a bracelet sat on her knee, winking at her from the sunlight shining on it. It was made of modest yellow beads, swirls on each representing the Air Nomads, but what caught her eye was the large blue stone in the middle. It was shaped in the form of yin, and a yellow gem blinked at her from the bulb.

"Gyatso made it, this one too." Aang said pulling another bracelet from his robe. This one looked like the one on her knee, but it had blue beads with Water Tribe symbols, and was in the shape of a yellow yang with a blue gem. "He gave these to me before I knew you, he said to hide them where the monks wouldn't find them because he wasn't suppose to have made them. He said I'd know what they were for, and when to get them."

"That's the main reason you wanted to come here, isn't it?" He nodded as Kana slipped the jewelry over her wrist. Aang's fingers wrapped around hers, the yin and yang pendants fitting together perfectly.

"I've loved you each time both of us were alive, I can feel it, and I'll love you each life after this one." He said peering into her eyes; she rolled onto her knees pulling him into a hug.

"I love you too, Aang." She whispered, tears burning the back of her eyes, this time for a different reason.

_They will grow together, two yet one. But differences will tear them apart, for destiny has planned one of their downfalls by the hands of the other._

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"I change my mind, I don't think I can do this." Katara wailed, looking over the ledge of the mountain.

"Sure you can," Kana laughed, "we'll go together, okay?"

"O-okay," she stuttered, "on three?"

"Exactly!" Kana exclaimed, shoving hard against her back. She let out a scream, closing her eyes in fear until the air caught on the gliders wings, lifting her. She let out a shaky laugh, glancing to the side as the other Waterbender glided over to her side, a grin plastered on her face.

"I said we go at three!" Katara yelled through the air.

"You said three," Kana shouted back, "that's why I pushed you!"

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"Even though Teo isn't an Airbender, he really does have the spirit of one." Aang whispered quietly to her. They were heading to the room of statues holding all of the Avatars reincarnations, Katara and Teo following behind, but not close enough to hear.

"If you want to show him the inside of the chamber," Kana murmured taking his hand in hers, "than I trust your judgement. Just make sure you're sure about this." He nodded as they reached the great doors, and turned to face the two trailing behind them.

"At first I didn't want to show you the inside of this room because you weren't an Air Nomad." Aang started, "But when you were telling Katara about flying, and about spirit, I knew that though you weren't born here, you belonged here like any Airbender."

"I don't want you to do anything you're unsure about." Teo said carefully, unable to keep the excitement from his voice, making Aang grin.

"I'm sure." He said smiling. Turning on his heel, there was a gust of air, and the symbols on the doors flipped over with a whistle. As the oak doors began to swing inward, an unmistakable red grew, and grew until a giant fire nation insignia towered over everyone's heads. They took a simultaneous step forward, all of their faces contorted in horror.

"You don't understand." A familiar voice said from behind them, making Kana close her eyes before turning around. She didn't want to do anything rash. She raised her hand, halting the onslaught of accusing voices, the others looking at her curiously.

"I think we need to speak somewhere a little more private." She ground out, the chilling glare she gave the mechanist causing him to visibly shiver in fright.

"That would probably be best."

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"What are you doing selling weapons to the Fire Nation?" She screamed at him. "How could you provide them with things that kill innocent people?"

"I had no choice," The mechanist rasped, "they said they'd burn this place to the ground, so I offered my services. Teo was too young to remember, but I had to protect him by any means necessary."

"How can I be proud of you when you make things that murder people?" His son asked, making him wince. Kana just grit her teeth, she wouldn't allow the affection he had for his son to make her feel sympathy. Not when he was helping the enemy, and keeping the world out of balance.

"When are they coming?" Aang growled, and the mechanist looked at a candle as it popped.

"Soon. Very soon! You have to leave." He said frantically as a whistle went off.

"We aren't going anywhere." Kana snarled.

"Then hide!" He pleaded, rushing to pull on a string. The two boys rushed behind a desk, and Kana just leaned against a wall with her arms crossed. She met the inventors' eyes, a warning not to do anything stupid, as a man wearing red robes rose from a secret panel on the floor.

"You know I hate being kept wait- who is that?" He hissed, catching sight of Kana.

"I suggest you learn how to hold your tongue in the presence of your betters." She snarled. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off with three sharp words. "Azula sent me."

"I find that hard to believe," he growled regaining his composure, "considering your Water Tribe."

"Only a fool would come dressed like... That." She sneered looking him up and down with a burning glare, "Fire Nation clothes in an Earth Kingdom settlement? If someone were to catch sight of you, they wouldn't hesitate to push you off the side of the temple."

"Who are you?" He asked again, this time a bead of sweat dripping from his brow.

"That is none of your concern, just know that your presence is no longer required, and that the princess will be incredibly upset if you attempt to fight this."

"I- I can't leave without what I came for." He stammered, "I have to follow orders." Kana's fist burst into flames as she pushed off the wall, taking a step forward.

"The princess is ruthless, and she expects nothing less from me." He back pedaled away, fear on his face.

"If I don't get what I came for, I'll be forced to burn this place to the ground. That is my orders." He swallowed hard when she took another step towards him, scrambling onto the pedestal he had come up on.

"Than I suggest you get ready for your invasion, and for your punishment when you return to the Fire Nation." The mechanist leapt forward, pulling on the string that lowered the man back down, out of sight, and closed the door.

"What was that?" Aang asked in confusion, coming out of his hiding place.

"That was buying us time to prepare."

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"Katara and I will be able to hold off the first few waves of soldiers, so hold onto the bombs until we give you the go ahead." Kana commanded, "Make sure to have look outs on all sides of the temple, we don't want them to succeed with a sneak attack."

"How do you know to do all of this?" Katara asked slightly flustered, but she just waved of the question with a flick of the wrist.

"I'll tell you later, right now we don't need any distractions. They're here." She hissed, pointing over the temples side were soldiers marched up a mountain trail. "It's time to start, Aang, lets go."

The Airbender snapped open his glider with a flourish, grabbing Kana with his legs, and soaring over the cliff. He set her down on a snow bank, flying back up to retrieve the other Waterbender. He set her down, flying into the sky to wait for his cue to get them.

"Are you ready to learn some Waterbending?" Kana asked with a dangerous glint in her eye. Katara nodded once, and both of the girls fell into a fighting stance. "Every Waterbender knows about push and pull, even if no one tells them about it." Kana brought her arms up, moving them forward and backward, the snow following in a larger mound with each movement.

"That is the very beginning of Waterbending, the push of the moon and the pull of the sea. Push and pull is our very being, to understand that, is to master water." Katara's face set in determination, as she brought up her arms to mimic the more experienced bender. As the snow began to flow with her moves, complete and utter bliss lit her face.

Together the two benders brought the snow up over their heads, and onto their enemies. With a deep breath, Kana swung her arms down and over, pushing the snow over the entire mountain trail. The red disappeared in all the white.

Her lips peeked up at the sides as the soldiers began to rush back down the trail, tails between their legs. She waved at Aang, the sign to come get them, but as he began to glide down, a giant hook shot out from under the fog. On pure instinct she rammed into Katara, shoving them into a crevice as a plethora of hooks rose from beneath the clouds, snagging the side of the mountain.

"Grab on!" Aang shouted, landing with his glider still open and ready to go. The two girls rushed forward, clutching his waist as he hops back into the air to take them to safety. It takes him an extra minute to get them back to the temple with the extra weight, but as soon as they land, Kana rushes over to the side to peer over the side. A large lump forms in her chest, and she swallows it down.

"It's a good thing we saved the bombs." She whispered with wide eyes at the sight of black machines pulling themselves up the mountains side. Aang picked up a bomb and soared down with a few others to attack. She allowed herself a moment to calm down before speaking. "Teo, do you know anything about these?" She asked, regaining her composure.

"Well," he began peering at the tanks, "my father always mentions something about a counter balancing system. If this was made for fire... Than water should be its weakness."

"Water... Are there any unaltered staffs?"

"No, but there are gliders similar to Aangs." Teo said, "I'll go grab one, wait here!" With that he wheeled away into the temple, and she and Katara began to hand out bombs to anyone who flew back empty handed. Kana glanced over her should every few seconds waiting for Teo's return.

When he came back, there was a metal pole on his lap, and he tossed it to her as soon as he was close enough to. She peered at it curiously, the wings snapping open with a click. The wings were a deep blue, and she grinned at the coincidence of the color. "It's just a proto-type," Teo warned, "you'll have to get a pretty good jump to get back airborne." She nodded in understanding before looking at the other girl.

"Looks like we're going back down there until Sokka gets the war balloon working, Katara." The Waterbender's face fell back into determination as she latched onto Kana, and they dove from the cliff. They landed next to Aang, who was blowing air at the machines, pushing them back as far as he could. Katara let to of Kana, and without a word both began to bend.

Kana swirled the metal staff, bring up spikes of ice that enclosed the tanks wheels. The machine stopped moving, now encased in frozen water, and with a hissing, the wheels completely popped off.

A dark shadow blocked out the sun, and with a quick glance upwards, she knew it was Sokka in the Fire Nation war balloon. "Aang, get Katara!" She shouted at her friend, who quickly did as she asked. Batting away bursts of fire, Kana made a run for the edge of the cliff. Blasting back a torrent of snow, she leaps from the ledge, the gliders wings snapping open. The air didn't catch her, and the canyon exploded.

For a moment she thinks she's going to continue to fall, then the hot air lifted her into the sky. Here breath comes out shaky, and she makes a mental note to keep from flying until she knew Airbending. With a look over her shoulder she sees the soldiers retreating, and lets out a whoop of excitement.

"We're going down!" Sokka screams as the war balloon rushed past her face. Her hands loosen from surprise, and she nearly lets go. Adrenaline pumping, she swings the glider around, speeding to the falling balloon. Kana circles it once, then feels Sokka's boomerang wrap around her ankle.

The combined weight of Sokka and the mechanist are too much for the glider to take, and they begin to fall towards the mountains side. They plow right into a mound of snow, bouncing along the mountains edge. Something hard fell right on top of Kana's stomach, pushing all the air from her lungs.

"At least we landed on something soft." Sokka groaned.

"You landed on me fatso!" She screeched slapping at his shoulder.

"It's not fat its muscle!" The Water Tribe boy declared indignantly.

"Get off me!"

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_Zuko was following a trail of burning ice lilies, but for the first time he couldn't smell their fragrance. He didn't know long he had been walking, but when he reached a steep incline filled with jagged rocks, he stopped. He sucked in a deep breath before continuing on. Where there was no struggle, there was no strength. Besides, whatever was waiting for him up there was worth it._

_As he continued onward, he caught sight of a figure ahead of him. Zuko increased his pace, and when he was close enough, noticed it was a girl. A girl that every time she took a step, caused a burning ice lily to sprout up. He didn't know why he felt a strange attraction to her._

_He was like a moth staring at the flickering light of a flame. Even though every fiber of his body screamed at him to turn away, go back down the trail, he couldn't. He was drawn to the hypnotizing fire, he knew he shouldn't get close to this interesting light, but it felt like he had to._

_Finally she reached her stop, and he watched from afar in the darkness of the trees that halted at the meadow that she now stood in. She went into the moonlight and sat there with her face upturned, her entire body glowing from the moons beam. She turned her gaze on him, the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen. And just like that... He fell for her._

Zuko woke with a gasp, bolting up in bed. Oh, Agni what had he gotten himself into? His uncle was right, he should have watched for the attacks on his mind, instead of his body. He breathed out a ragged breath of air, shuddering.

**Well there are only three chapters left of book one, then I'm leaving forever! No, I love this too much to stop writing it haha. But I've decided that for the book separator I'm going to write the reason why Bumi and Kana got in so much trouble! Sigh, I just realized that when I first started writing this, it was hard to write 2000 words. Now it's hard to _just _write 2000 words. How does that even work? And why do I write so fast that I can post every three days! Meeeeh. You're welcome.**

Character questions answers!

No character questions this chapter. (glares at you all)


	18. Chapter 18: The Waterbending Masters

**Legal Necessities: **Avatar is fun to write FanFiction for, but I still want to own it.

Chapter 18: The Waterbending Masters

**Silver light**

The group soared above the sea at a slow pace, the two Waterbenders passing an orb of water around in a circle. Spikes of ice stuck out from the cold, and the wind caused a red tint to be on all of their faces, but it was still quiet the beautiful sight.

"So Kana," Sokka began, "you never told us how you knew to organize a military defense."

"Well that's pretty simple," Aang piped up, "royalty always has to learn battle strategies, it doesn't seem to matter were your from."

"Royalty!" the warrior yelped, as Katara dropped the freezing water over his head in surprise. "You know what, if I'm always going to get wet from you two using your magic water then no more bending on Appa!"

"Sokka could you please focus on something besides your clothes!" the Waterbender yelled at her brother, "now… what is this about Kana being royalty?"

"I thought you guys knew," She said shrugging, "wasn't it recorded that the princess of the Southern Water Tribes was the Avatar?" Katara shook her head, opening her mouth to talk before her brother interrupted.

"I am literally freezing here, can one of you please do something?" Kana rolled her eyes, crawling over to the whining boy. She put her hand on his chest, and with a yanking motion pulled the water from his clothes, tossing it into the ocean.

"As I was saying before being interrupted," Katara snapped glaring at her brother, "No. The only thing about the Avatar we knew was she was from the Water Tribes. She disappeared about the same time the princess did, and… oh duh!" she yelled face palming.

"Hey Aang, do you think you could get Appa to fly a little higher?" Kana asked suddenly, glancing over her shoulder at the Airbender.

"We've been flying for two straight days, the only way we could get higher is if we jumped on Sokka's back and he flew us to the North Pole."

"Right then, I guess I'll deal with these guys."

"Deal with who, there's no one here!" Without a word Kana rose, running to Appa's head, she leapt from him into the air. A spike of ice rose from the sea, and she smashed through it, the others screaming in surprise as she hopped back on the bison.

"I suggest landing, Aang!" she yelled as more ice rose up, and she diverted it with a swing of her arm. With a roar, Appa splashed into the water, men on boats rowing out from behind the ice.

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**She turned her face up**

"There's so many Waterbenders here!" Katara exclaimed.

"You'll have no trouble finding someone to teach you." Aang said happily. Kana just averted her eyes, she doubted in a hundred years anything would have changed.

"It's beautiful here." she sighed, looking over the tall ice buildings. Sokka rose from his seat, running down Appa's tail in a hurry. Rising to her knees, Kana caught sight of what he was "chasing", and fell back barely containing a gasp. _Yue._

"Ya, she is."

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**To the starlit sky**

"For the last time, I'm not playing the tsungi horn!" Zuko growled.

"No it's about our plans, there's a bit of a problem." Iroh said. The prince heard a boot step clank, and looked over, his face twisting into a snarl. _Zhao, he's the bastard that had taken Kana._

"I'm taking your crew."

"What!" he yelled, rising to his feet.

"I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole."

"Uncle, is that true?"

"I'm afraid so, he's taking everyone, even the cook." The old man said wiping his eyes at the mention of Cook leaving.

"Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar, but I can't have you getting in my way again." Zhao sneered. Zuko rushed forward with a yell, Iroh quickly holding him back, as the Admiral walked towards his bedside. The prince followed his direction, nose flaring with worry. The older man slowly lifted a blue ribbon from a table, a Water Tribe ribbon.

"What an interesting thing for a Fire Nation boy to have." He said, trailing his fingers over the fabric. Zuko could feel his mind rushing, _what would Kana say?_

"It's from the Water Tribe peasant that travels with the Avatar. I managed to grab it the last time I saw them."

"Interesting. Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?"

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**And on this night**

"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sisters from the Southern Water Tribe. And they have brought with them someone very special; someone who many of us believed disappeared from the world until now. The Avatar!" Chief Arnook exclaimed, motioning at Aang who sat next to Katara.

Kana just smiled as everyone ignored her. They had all talked it over, and agreed that Aang should be the only one known to be the Avatar. It was for the best, people would be more willing to accept him then her, too much hope, and it seems like a fairy tale.

"You know back in my tribe, I'm kind of like a prince myself." Kana jumped slightly at Sokka's voice, she had accidentally toned out the rest of the chiefs' speech.

"Prince, huh?" she teased, "I never heard of the engagement." His face flooded red making her giggle, and when he turned back to Yue, she giggled too. Without another thought, Kana pushed him aside, leaning over him to the princess.

"Yue's a pretty name," she smiled, "any reason for your parents picked it?"

"Yes actually, my great-grandmother was named Yue. They say she was very beautiful, and the best princess the Northern Water Tribe ever had."

"I'm trying to eat here!" Sokka complained, and Kana sat back in her seat with smirk. _I knew you would be a wonderful bride, sister._

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**Began to wonder why**

"What do you mean you won't teach me?" Katara screamed at the old man.

"Here the women learn from Yagoda to use their bending to heal." Paku said calmly.

"I didn't travel across the entire world just for you to tell me no!"

"No."

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**She knew that soon the day would come**

"The crew wanted me to wish you safe travels." Iroh said, sticking his head into his nephew room.

"Good riddance to those traitors." Zuko snarled, scowling up at his ceiling.

"It's a lovely night for a walk, why don't you join me?" his uncle asked, but he kept his arms crossed tightly. "Or just sit in your room, and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy." He sighed, walking from the room.

_The last time I was happy was the day before Kana left._ Zuko thought bitterly to himself. He wasn't angry that she'd left, he was angry because he cared that she left. He let out a snarl, sitting up in his bed, and getting up. The prince walked over to a table, picking up the blue ribbon that she had left behind.

He glared at it, contemplating lighting it on fire. With a single breath, he brought his other hand under it, a flame sprouting on his palm. Before he could lower it into the heat, there was a clanking noise from outside his room. He tucked the blue fabric in his belt, peeking into the hall. "Uncle, is that you?"

There was no reply, and after a second's hesitation, he leapt out of his room in a Firebending stance. He walked along the ship, all the way up to the captains' – used to be – work place. He ran a hand over the back of his head, just as a reptilian bird screeched at him from the window. It was the bird from the pirates he had run into.

The ship exploded.

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**Born to be**

"How was practice, Katara?" she asked, laying out her sleeping bag. Kana and her were sharing a room, why the boys had one next to them. It would be considered inappropriate of them all to share the same room, considering both Kana and Sokka were of marring age.

"I didn't get to go because I'm a girl!" she spit, turning to the other girl with fire in her eyes. "Can you believe that?"

"Yes." Kana replied, making her jump in surprise. "Back in our tribe it was the same way until I put a stop to it. It took every ounce of authority I had to do so, and it still almost didn't work. Not for a second did I think this place changed."

"How can you be so calm about this?" Katara snapped at her, "You should be angrier than me!" The older girl just smiled at her and shook her head.

"There's no use getting worked up about it, I'll deal with Master Paku in the morning. Until then, why don't I just teach you how to Waterbend?" she stuck her lip out in a pout, making Kana's eye brows arch up, and she sighed.

"Okay. But I'm still angry!" she growled, but her mouth rose slightly up into a smile. The other girl just shook her head with a laugh, leading them outside of their lodgings, and over to the river next to the ice roads. With one movement, Kana swept her hand up followed closely by an orb of liquid. Katara immediately felt jealousy at the other girls effortless skill, and she hated that Pakku wouldn't teach her all the more for not being a boy.

"Concentrate." Kana ordered, "Watch the movements, and know how they flow without even trying." She moved the ball of liquid in simple motions, transfixing the other girl completely. With a sweeping motion of her arm, Kana passed the orb to Katara, and she caught it gently trying to mimic the other girl.

"I think I got it!" she exclaimed excitedly, moving slowly. She tried to speak again, but before she could get a word out, the water swept around her in a fury. Her eyes tried to meet Kana's, but she was glaring up over her head. "Wha-"

"You have dishonored me, my teachings, and my entire culture." Pakku snarled. "You may be from the Southern Water Tribe, but here we do not go against tradition. If you can not respect that, than I will no longer teach the Avatar." With that he stomped away, not even giving the two girls time to speak.

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**An heir of beauty and serenity**

"I've already heard what Pakku has to say, and I don't know what you want me to do." Chief Arnook said gruffly, "I can't force him to teach the Avatar, and from what I gather, he is completely in his right to refuse him as a student."

"Yes, well I'm certain he remembered to tell you that Aang was neither there, nor had any idea we were practicing Waterbending." Kana hissed dryly, "Unfortunately though, I did not come here to grovel. If it came down to it I could train Aang myself, it's just more convenient that I don't."

"Than what are you here for, girl?" Pakku snapped.

"If you were to simply apologize, I'm certain Mater Pakku would be willing to take the Avatar back as his student." Arnook all but pleaded, trying to defuse the situation, but it backfired. Kana's lips turned down into a tight line, her gaze meeting the master Waterbenders with a sparking fire.

"I will _never_," the floors began to crack, "**_ever_**_,_" basins of ice exploded spilling out their contents, "**_ever_**" ice splintered along the entire room to the entrance, "apologize for doing what's fair!" she snarled. "We are going to settle this like two benders should, I'll be waiting outside if you're man enough to face me."

Princess Yue gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in surprise as Kana turned on her heel to leave. A crowd followed hot on her heels, and she could hear her friends call on her to wait for them. She was halfway to the arena when Sokka caught up to her, grabbing onto her shoulder and spinning her around. "You can't do this; you're going to get hurt!"

"Never underestimate a man's ability to underestimate a woman." Kana murmured gently, yet Sokka recoiled as if she had slapped him. "You're like Pakku, you're going to be surprised at what I can do." She left him standing there, finishing her walk down to the sparring arena, letting the Southern Water Tribe boy frozen on the steps like a fish out of water.

A hush fell over the whispering crowd as Pakku appeared, making his way down to Kana. He just continued past, like she didn't even exist, not even bothering to glance in her direction. She gritted her teeth in aggravation, waiting for him to say something, anything. "Go home little girl, before you get yourself hurt."

Kana's fingers coiled in anger, nails biting furiously into her palms. Without thinking, she pulled water from the icy ground, flinging it at him as a pike. There was a shriek from the spectators – it sounded like the princess' – and the old man turned just in time for the ice to harmlessly graze his temple.

For a moment there was nothing but a stunned silence, then Pakku reacted as appropriate for a Mater Waterbender. Liquid rose from two pools in waves, and with one strike it angled itself at Kana. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you!" he shouted with a self-satisfied smirk.

She snarled at him, swinging her foot back, and slapping the tsunami with a palm. The water exploded around her, forming an orb of rippling moisture that engulfed her entire body. With a swiping motion the water rose above her head in a sheet of pure ice. "Unfortunately, I can't say I'm not going to hurt you."

In a simultaneous moment, the two-master Waterbenders strike as one. Kana brought her arms down, hurling spike of ice shards directly at his head, and at the same time Pakku slammed a massive wave into her. She's flung to the ground from the force of it, her hair ribbon snapping, allowing it to fall free. With a grunt she jumped back to her feet, smirking when she sees the red on the old man's arm.

"Can we get started now, or are you going to continue to waste my time?" she sneered, a dark glint in her eye. In response Pakku rushes forward, a river of water at his fingertips. The battle rages on, each movement nearly to fast to see; they are just a blur of blue explosions. His flowing defenses barley block her snapping attacks, and already it's obvious who the victor will be. Who has the most skill. All at once the flying fists and kicks halt, both combatants jumping away.

Both are breathing hard, but while Kana's breath is slightly elevated, he is covered with bruises. The spectators held their breath; they know her next move will end it. With cold deliberate steps, she walked towards him until she is in the middle of the ruined sparring arena. When she is still far enough to defend from an attack, she halted, and the two masters stared at each other.

She waited for a second. Then bowed. The crowd erupted in a chorus of confused whispers as she straightened back up to stare at him with a wide grin. "I think I made my point," she said brushing strands of hair from her face, "what about you?"

"This doesn't change anything." Pakku snapped at her.

"See that's where you're wrong," Kana sneered, "one drop of water can break a dam, and from the looks of our little audience, you're going to be flooded soon."

"You sly girl." He said shaking his head with a chuckle, as she ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back over a shoulder. Suddenly his face paled, and he took a step back in horror. He dropped to his knees, falling into a deep bow. "I would never knowingly raise a hand against a princess of the Water Tribe."

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**Into this world she entered quietly**

He laid in a pool of calm water, just drifting pointlessly. He tried to remember where he was, and what had happened to him but his mind was drawing a blank. He took a deep breath, and suddenly the scent of burning ice lilies assaulted his senses. There was a ripple to the side of his face, so he turned his face.

_ A woman glided effortlessly over the sea, but he couldn't see above her knees. He swallowed in fear, whoever this was, was dangerous in more than one way. She wanted to drown him. "Honestly, Zuzu?" she sighed in exasperation, "All it takes is a tiny explosion to get you to give up?"_

_ "What?" he asked, and she knelt down so he could see her face. It had an unhappy frown on it. _

_ "Come on get up! You aren't leaving without a fight, I won't let you." She whispered gently, pulling his head from the water._

_ "Who are you?" he rasped. She looked at him for a second before smiling softly._

_ "It seems I'm saving _you_ from the ocean this time."_

He woke with a gasp, the sudden feeling of immense pain overwhelming. He glanced around frantically until his eyes settled on his uncle. "Prince Zuko! You're awake!"

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**To her surprise she was the one**

Kana had had to admit to a variety of things after the fight. Yes she was the "lost" princess of the Southern Water Tribe, yes she was the Avatar. All of that was fine, but it taken away from the battle from Pakku, and if she had to tell the truth so would he. "You would have struck me down wouldn't you." She said over a Pai Sho table.

"Excuse me?"

"I won't be made a fool of. You saw an opportunity to escape a defeat, and change everyone's thoughts to think of me, so you took it." He chuckled, moving the white lotus tile across the board.

"You are quiet sharp for such a young age.

"Answer the question, Pakku."

"Yes. If you had failed to beat me, then I would have taken the last shot."

"I want to make a compromise with you," she started, raising her hand to keep him speaking. "trust me when I say this is a courtesy, you do not want to see what I'm like when something of this caliber doesn't go my way." Kana waited for a second until the old man nodded, albeit uncertainly.

"I want you to train both Aang and Katara, and if she doesn't meet or exceed your standards, than I will drop the subject."

"And the preparations?"

"I'll take care of it."

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**Destiny was close behind her**

"Zhao doesn't suspect a thing."

"You didn't have to do this."

"N nephew of mine is going to stow away on a ship without some back up."

"Thank you, Uncle."

"Someone's coming. Stay hidden until the North Pole, and the Avatar will be yours. Good luck." As Iroh walked away from his nephew, he was unable to hear his nephews' last words.

"I'm not looking for the Avatar, I'm looking for Kana."

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**Phantom**

"I'm so excited to start my training! But why are we starting here, instead of outside?" Katara asked. Kana bit her lip, looking away.

"There is a secret that the Water Tribes have kept for a long time, Katara. Most people believe that only peace comes from water, but they forget how destructive it is.

"Push and pull." She answered back.

"Exactly. And when a person wants to learn to fight, there's a tradition of reminding the student exactly how destructive water can be. Sokka will have gone through the same thing."

"I don't understand." Katara said as Kana rubbed her temples furiously.

"I know! I know… I just want you to be slightly prepared. I don't want you to end up hating me after this."

"I could never hate you, Kana! You're the one that made training for me possible!" the other girl just smiled, closing her eyes. It was time.

"You are a Water Tribe warrior," she said.

"What?" Katara tried to ask, but before she could even react, Kana grabbed her by the back of the throat. She plunged her entire head into freezing water. Katara screamed until there was no more air left in her lungs, then she was pulled back up.

"Warriors push and pull," Kana dunked her head back into the water, yanking her back up, "Show no mercy to your enemies, push." She went back into the water. "Keep your allies alive, pull."

This went on for the longest time.

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**Of borrowed life**

Katara had a glazed over look in her eyes, and Kana wanted to cry. It was always the worst part of training, some would argue being the person who did it, was worse than being the one receiving it. She didn't understand how that could be true until now, and now she understood why Pakku would be unwilling to do that to girls.

Kana got up from where she was sitting, and sat down behind the other girl, pulling her into a hug. "It's okay to cry," she whispered, "every does." Katara shuddered violently, and curled her fingers into Kana's sides. Tears began to flow freely, staining her shoulder.

Kana rocked her back and forth, cooing a soft melody into her ear.

**The ending was rather dark, but not overly so. I think that the creators had a lot to expand on the Water Tribes, and that they missed out a lot in saying all water is, is life. That's why I had the ending like this. Anyways, two more chapters until the end of Book 1, there might be a slight delay for the beginning of Book 2 because I'm a little iffy on it.**

**Also incase you didn't notice, the bolded words at the top of each scene are the lyrics to the song she sang in a previous chapter. I told you it was important!**

Character questions answered!

**Zuko: did the girl in your dream look like Kana?**_– Kana has the most beautiful blue eyes…_ (Translation: yes)

**Zuko: Do you feel like an idiot now that you didn't follow your Uncle's advice?**_ – I admit I should have paid more attention to what my uncle said, but it was my choice, and I accept the blame for what happens._

**Does Kana love zuko or Aang little confused: **Kana doesn't love Zuko, she's more in the denial stage of liking him right now. (Kind of like Zuko) She loves Aang more than anybody, but not in a romantic way. It's almost like he's the other half of her, so it would be like loving herself in that way if she had romantic feelings for him… you see how that wouldn't work out?


	19. Chapter 19: Siege of the North (Part 1)

**Legal Necessities: **Do it. Sue me.

Chapter 19: Siege of the North (Part 1)

**And the sea was a reminder**

Kana stood quietly next to Master Pakku, a smug smirk on her lips as Katara beat yet another one of his students. The girl practically lived and breathed Waterbending, she used it at every chance she got. "Well done, Katara. You have advanced faster than any other of my students, proving with determination and hard work anything is possible… and that raw talent isn't all it takes to succeed." He said with a pointed look at Aang.

"Come on guys, this isn't funny!" he yelled down at the Waterbenders. Everyone looked up at him, a few snickering at the great Avatar, stuck in a pillar of ice.

"The point of the exercise is to free _yourself_, Aang." Kana sighed with crossed arms.

"Well maybe I should be doing something less advanced?"

"Nonsense! You're the Avatar, so you either get out, or you freeze to death!"

"What?" she shouted, starting to struggle against the ice, making the three Waterbenders laugh.

"Make sure to congratulate him when he gets out." Kana snickered, walking away.

"Where are you going?" Katara yelled after her.

"Just for a walk!" she shouted back, cupping her hands around her mouth. She didn't hear a response, so she turned around and continued on her way.

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**Mirror of given light**

"Sokka, Yue!" she yelled, waving her hand in the air to get their attention.

"Princess Kana, it's wonderful to see you."

"Kana, Yue. Just Kana." The white haired girl blushed at the correction, but otherwise nodded her assent. It made her heart ache, she was so much like her sister, it was near unbearable. There were distinct differences, the shape of the nose, how soft her smile was… but there was more in common than not.

"Sokka, I was wondering if I could borrow Yue for a minute?" he seemed a little reluctant, but the princess had already left his side for Kana's.

"We'll meet you at Appa's!" she promised, sticking her tongue out at him as they rounded a corner.

"So what did you want to see me about?" Yue asked gently.

"I want to see… if you know anything about my sister?" the princess looked at her with sympathy, taking her hand and squeezing it comfortingly.

"I'm named after her, she was my great-great-grandmother, but you probably guessed that. They say that I look like her, and my parents named me after her hoping that I would follow after her foot steps."

"Why?"

"She was the greatest princess we've ever had! When the war started, she focused all of her efforts on keeping us safe. Even when people said that we should fight, she held off saying that survival was to be our main goal. We would live to fight another day. And we did. The Fire Nation tried to invade us, but with her guidance we managed to beat them back."

"Where was her husband, wasn't all of that his job?"

"Originally, yes. But he ran scarred, told people we should surrender, that if the Fire Nation could wipe out the Air Nomads than they could wipe us out."

"And she intervened, didn't she. She was never the kind of person to let people be cowards. She was the very best role model." Kana whispered.

"You loved her a lot, didn't you?" Yue asked.

"She was my sister." She said simply, that was all the explanation needed.

"If I may, why ask me about her now."

"You remind me of her. And since you're her granddaughter it feels like I should. The last thing I said to her was that she'd make a beautiful bride… right after promising I'd see her again soon." Kana's voice cracked, but she forced herself to continue. "I'd like to believe she didn't spend her whole life waiting… but the water is ever so patient. I don't think she ever gave up."

"Perhaps it won't be soon, but you'll see her again in the spirit world."

"You're right, it still hurts though. Thank you Yue, for listening." The two girls looked at each other, and smiled, as they rounded the corner to where Appa was.

"No, up, up!" Sokka shouted underneath a fluffy paw, while Appa licked him.

"You haven't been giving him enough attention, have you Sokka?"

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**Then one day**

Aang had managed to finally get out of the block of ice, a feat that though not impossible, hard to do as an intermediate Waterbender. Kana was proud of him, but he was still a little jealous that Katara was getting all of her attention.

As said Waterbender skid past him to avoid a blast of water, he really could understand. Like Kana had been to the south pole, Katara was to the north pole. They were both revolutionaries, and he glad to have both of them as friends... even if he was jealous.

"Defense only matters if you can outlast your opponent, Katara!" Kana shouted at the fleeing girl. "Learn to attack, or you'll be to focused on not being hit, and get herded into a trap."

Katara snapped her head up just in time to see an avalanche fall on her head. A spec of blue bounced along the white snow, landing just a few feet from Master Pakku. Aang recognized it as his friends' necklace, and hoped over to it, bending down to pick it up. But before he could, someone else plucked it from the snow.

"This is my necklace." Pakku whispered staring at the blue stone, cradled in his hands.

"No it's not, it's mine." Katara said as Kana helped her up out of the snow.

"I carved this sixty years ago, for the love of my life… For Kanna." He murmured, face clouded in sadness and memories. Katara fell back down as Kana let go of her hand, surprised to hear her own name. "I remember she was named by Yue, after her sister."

"That's an engagement necklace." Kana said peering at him.

"That means… My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you?" Katara asked.

"I made this for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we were going to have a long happy life together. I loved her, but it was an arranged marriage."

"And she didn't want to let your Tribes stupid customs run her life, did she?"

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**The sign she'd waited for**

"This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh. Just think, centuries from now, people will study the great Admiral Zhao who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe civilization. You're lucky you're here to see it."

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**In skies of gray**

"Soot." Sokka hissed, Appa and Yue standing behind him as he glared at the dirty snow in his hand.

"What?" the princess asked in bewilderment.

"I've seen it before. Right before my village was attacked. It's soot mixed with snow."

"But why?"

"It's the Fire Nation. They've closed in on the North Pole. And from the looks of this stuff," he paused, coming out of his crouch to stare at the ocean horizon, darkened by a dense, thick cloud. "…I'd say there's a lot of them."

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**Traversed a winding road**

"We'll be landing soon, do you have a plan?"

"I'm working on it, Uncle." Zuko whispered through his mask. _He was so close._

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**And came her way**

"The day that has been feared for so long has finally arrived." Kana's voiced echoed out over the crowd, as she stood next to Yue. "The Fire Nation has finally come for you, as they came for the South Pole. It is with great sadness that we must ask for our brothers and sisters to prepare for battle, knowing that some of these faces are about to vanish."

"But we stand tall with our brother and sisters from the Southern Tribes, as we fight for our very existence." Yue said, glancing at every face, "We ask the spirit of the moon, and the spirit of the ocean to be with us, as they always have."

"We will not pretend that what we shall ask of you will be easy, for those who except, many will not return. We need volunteers for a dangerous mission."

"Count me in!" Kana's eyes snapped to Sokka as he stood, a hiss coming from her lips. She tore her eyes from him to meet the gaze of those who got up.

"Thank you all for you're bravery, please come forward to receive our mark."

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**She found the love she hoped she would**

"The silence before battle is the worst part." Kana said, walking up to Aang, staring down over the ocean. "It's a tortured silence."

"We weren't there for the Air Nomads, or for the Southern Water Tribe." He growled. "But we're going to make a difference this time."

"Yes, we are." She whispered, a Fire Nation vessel coming into view. Everyone watched it warily, until a raging ball of fire raced towards them. Kana was the only person to react, sweeping out a pillar of ice from the wall, catching it before it could cause any damage. "Aang, we have to stop that ship!"

"Get on!" He yelled, hopping on top of Appa's head, and she quickly dragged herself onto his saddle. Aang let out a yip-yip, and they flew out over the sea, making a bee line to the ship. "We can take it from here buddy." He said, jumping from the bison's head, descending in a spiraling arc.

Kana snatched her own metal glider, wings unfurling as she leapt over the ships deck, and landed as gracefully as she could. Aang had already caused a fair amount of damage, and two soldiers were chasing him along the deck. Without a thought, she twirled her staff, causing a jet of water to rise from the ocean and hit them square in the chest.

"Didn't know I could do that." Kana shrugged, before promptly smashing a guys face in win the metal pole. As be fell, the ship began to shudder violently, tipping up as a spear of ice punctured the hull. She leapt from the boat, Aang pushing a burst of air into the gliders wings to get her to rise.

As they flew in the sky, kana was certain that her heart stopped. At least a hundred ships soared towards the North Pole, the realization causing a tingling sensation to run up her spine. "This isn't an invasion, this is an extinction."

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**But she knew**

Rage. An unending hatred that seared into her mind, into her skin, into her blood. Submerged in a million bodies with such a deep need for peace and balance, a horrible inferno of heat, her scream went unheard.

Her pleas of help were unnoticed as glowing eyes stared at her, their faces twisted in snarls. One reached out, taking her hand, and Kana disappeared in the glow of a million lives.

Rushing thoughts brushed her mind at a speed she was unable to comprehend, only a few standing out against the smear. Only the angry, the hateful voices stood out yelling in a louder voice than the others.

Water roared beneath her feet as she stood atop it, ripping away at everything that stood in its path. Threatening to demolish anything within the waves range. In the distance she heard the screaming and sharp cries of the tsunami's victims.

They loved it. With a twist of her hand they capsized an entire ship, dragging it down to the depths of the icy sea where it belonged. A hand caught their sleeve, and they lashed out, striking someone in the face.

Whoever it was bounced along the water like a stone, tipping over unceremoniously to float on their back. In one again sing second Kana is no longer "they", but her. And she had just thrown Aang across the ocean like a rag doll.

The blue fades from her eyes, and she races forward on the ice. She reaches Aang, and sinks into the frigid water, pulling him closer to her. She can hear his breathing, his heartbeat, and it's all she can do not to cry. His eyelids peel back, and she lets out a cry of relief.

"Aang, I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was you!"

"Worth it," he croaked, "to get you out of the Avatar State."

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**She had promises to stay true too**

"I took you off the mission for a selfish reason, Sokka." Chief Arnook sighed, "I want you to guard my daughter, Princess Yue."

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**The dormant daughter of the silver moon**

"We must have taken out a dozen Fire Navy ships each, there's just to many of them. I can't do it." Aang moaned, sinking to his knees.

"But you're the Avatar! I saw Kana take out three ships in a minute." Yue exclaimed frantically, twisting her hands worriedly.

"That wasn't me," she whispered, "that was the previous Avatars spirits." There was an uncomfortable silence until Katara shouted in surprise.

"That's it!" everyone peered at her as if she had lost her mind, making her cross her arms. "The Spirits! You could ask them for help, they could give you the knowledge to win this battle."

"The last time I went into the Spirit World was by accident, I don't know how I could do it just randomly." Aang said, making Yue purse her lips in thought. Suddenly she snapped her head up.

"Follow me." She commanded, turning to walk away, leaving the others to follow behind her. "I can't help you get to the Spirit World, but I can take you to the most spiritual place in the whole North Pole." She said, twisting and turning around corners until abruptly stopping in front of a round door.

"Is this the way to the Spirit World?" Aang asked, making Yue giggle.

"No you'll have to get there on your own." She laughed, opening the door, and stepping inside. They stepped in one by one, each letting out an amazed gasp as they saw the inside of it. It was a beautiful Oasis; Momo even raced forwards plopping onto his belly.

"It's so warm here, how is that possible?" Katara asked, shedding her thick parka.

"This Oasis is the center of spiritual energy in the entire North Pole." Yue answered trailing behind her.

"It's so… tranquil here." Kana murmured walking up to the pond, enjoying the warm air. Aang walked up next to her, pulling slightly at her sleeve. He pointed down into the clear water pond where two Koi fish swam in a circle.

"They remind me of our bracelets." Kana said, taking hold of his hand, and raising it up parallel to the water. They looked at the fish for a moment together, waiting as they seemed to meld together to make a perfect Yin and Yang sign.

There was a flash of bright light, causing Katara to shield her eyes. She heard Yue's gasp and looked past her fingers to see what was happening. Both Kana's and Aang's eyed glowed a bright white, their hands still firmly clasped together as they circled each other like the Koi fish.

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**Then all at once**

"Should we go get help?"

"No, they're my friends. I'm perfectly capable of protecting them."

"Well aren't you a big girl now."

"No."

"Yes." Zuko snarled. "Hand… him over, and I won't have to hurt you." Katara snarled at him, getting into her stance. They fought. Viscously. And just when Zuko managed to snag the collar of the Airbender, he was blasted away. Their hands ripped away from each other's, and they fell, their glows turning a murky gray.

"Looks like I'm going to have to hurt you." Katara hissed, and with a sharp move blasted him into the wall with a jet of water. With three moves she pushed him up the ice in a wave, freezing it halfway up the Oasis. She smirked, and turned away. She didn't see the sun so much as felt it on her shoulders. Then a blast of fire.

Her eyes fogged over, barely managing to open enough to see Zuko cradling Kana in his arms. "You rise with the moon. I rise with the sun."

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**She understood**

He trudged along the snow, the wind blowing in his face. He didn't know what had compelled him to take Kana instead of the boy; she was older and considerably heavier. At least that's how it seemed being weighed down in the blizzard. The only thing that made it worth taking her was the heat radiating off her body. Heat like a Firebenders.

But what was he suppose to do with her now? _She is the Avatar… I have to turn her into my father._ Why didn't he want to do that?


	20. Chapter 20: Siege of the North (Part 2)

**Legal Necessities: **Okay I was lying, don't sue me!

Chapter 20: Siege of the North (Part 2)

**Destiny was close behind her**

He felt like his legs were on fire, even as he trailed knee deep in snow. Zuko could feel Kana droop across his back, and he tugged her up higher, stumbling on something… It felt like a crack. He took in a deep breath, the frigid air slicing down his throat. He wasn't going to last long in this blizzard.

With another step forward, there was a large rumble underneath him. He stopped for a second to listen, before there was a large crunch from behind him. He snapped his head back, eyes widening in fear. He had stumbled on a deserted Snow Mole tunnel.

Zuko let out a gasp as the first fissure ran along the ground, and he ran as fast as he could. He heard the ice fall out from behind his feet, the crumbling ground literally on his heels. With a snarl he leapt forward, flinging himself onto the stable ice. He rolled on the fluffy snow with a grunt. And after a shout of triumph, he noticed suddenly that Kana was no longer placed over his back.

He whipped his head back and forth, frantically searching for her, and felt his breath catch in his throat. He watched dumbstruck as her body slowly began to tip over the edge of the collapsed Snow Mole tunnel. He scrambled forward, grabbing her hand right before she completely fell into the new cavern.

She dangled there unconsciously, and for a moment he thought she was going to fall to her death. But with a surge of sudden strength, he yanked Kana back onto solid ground. His head lolled to the side, and a spark of hope lit in his chest. "Shelter." He croaked, scooping Kana up into his arms. He trudged up to a small cave, gently placing her on the ground.

He flipped her onto her stomach, tying her hands behind her back. A gust of wind blew into their little shelter, and he noticed her shiver, while taking a deep breath. He hesitated for second, then sat next to her. He swallowed, and pulled her onto his lap, already feeling her shakes disappear. It was good thing they both had warm bodies.

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**Phantom of borrowed life**

Kana took a deep breath, opening her eyes. She scanned her surroundings slowly, hissing at the murky waters and dead swamp. Noticing she was sitting crossed legged under an archway; she pushed herself up onto her feet to get a full look of were she was. There was a strange spirit sitting cross-legged meditating, concentrating as hard as he could on not noticing her.

She snorted, and walked away from him. No help would come from him, he would probably only manage to get her lost in the swamp. She glanced down at the swampy water, and stepped into it with a grimace. The Ocean and moon Spirits controlled water, so naturally they would be in the water right?

"Hello, Kana." She turned around so fast that, she fell against a tree, calming only when she saw the familiar face paint.

"Avatar Kyohsi, I'm surprised to see you here. You seem like the kind of person to make others deal with their problems. But I guess this isn't the time for that kind of thinking."

"You're correct Kana. The Water Tribes are under attack, and now is the time to ban together not pull apart." The woman said, staring down at the girl.

"I need to find the Ocean and Moon spirits, I fear that they're the only ones that can help at this point."

"The Ocean and the Moon are ancient spirits. They crossed over the Spirit World to the mortal world very near the beginning. There is only one spirit I know of who is old enough to remember."

"Who?" Kana demanded, making Kyoshi's eyebrows rise in surprise. From what she knew of the girl, she was quite respectful. Things must be worse than she feared.

"The spirit's name is Koh, but he is very dangerous. They call him the Face Stealer. When you speak with him, you must be very careful to show no emotion at all. Not the slightest expression, or he will steal your face." Kana's throat tightened, and she cleared her face like she was told.

"How do I get to him?"

"You must simply focus your mind, concentrate only on Koh, and nothing else. You have been given an advantage by being connected to me, Kana. I will guide you to your destination, but I will not follow."

"Thank you." The girl said, bowing at the waist to Kyoshi.

"Before you leave, I have one last word of wisdom for you." She waited for Kana to straighten before speaking again. "Koh plays by the rules, there will be no tricks, and no attempts to fool you. When in his presence, you will have only your self control to fear."

Kana nodded once, then took a step forward focusing on nothing but a single word. _Koh._

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**And the sea was a reminder**

"I don't need to remind you we have a time limit. If we don't defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon rises, they will be undefeatable." Iroh warned.

"I assure you I have everything under control. I intend to remove the moon as a factor." Admiral Zhao sneered, making the old war general recoil in shock.

"Remove the moon? How?"

"Years ago I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret: the identity of the Moon Spirit's mortal form."

"What?" Iroh hissed.

"I was a young lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom. I discovered a hidden library. Underground, in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration, and the words "moon" and "ocean". I knew then that these spirits could be found and killed. And that it was my destiny to do so."

"Zhao, the spirits are not to be trifled with!"

"Yes, yes... I know you fear the spirits, Iroh." the Admiral snorted, rolling his eyes, "I've heard rumors about your journey into the Spirit World. But the Ocean and Moon gave up their immortality to become a part of our world. And now they will face the consequences. We'll be following this map to a very special location. And when we get there, we're going fishing."

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**Mirror of given light**

There was a tingling ripping sensation for a minute, and Kana thought she would be torn apart. Just as she was about to lose herself in the moving darkness she stepped out into the murky light, right in front of a great tree. She let out a relieved sigh, clearing her face of all emotion, and heard Kyoshi's voice mix with her own. "Show no fear. Show no emotion at all."

She stepped into the cave with a straight face. "Hello?" Kana called into the darkness, there was a clicking from behind her, and she made sure not to scrunch her lips. "I'm looking for the Spirit Koh."

There were more clicking noises, and suddenly a face was shoved inches from her own. "Welcome!" a giant centipede like creature shouted at her, his face that of a noh mask.

With a clear expression, she bows at the waist. "Thank you for your presence."

"My old friend, the Avatar. It's been a long time."

"You know me?"

"How could I forget you?" He switches to mad face with thick eyebrows, a long mustache, and a beard. Angrily, he snarls at her. "One of your previous incarnations tried to slay me! Nearly eight or nine hundred years ago."

"It seems to me that you should hold that against my previous life, and not me." Kana said simply. The Face Stealer laughs, switching back to the noh mask.

"Of course, that's all behind us. Why should I hold a grudge against you for something in a past life? After all, you're a different person now. Why should you care about my stealing of the face of someone you _used_ to love." he chuckled, face twirling into a scared, sad face of a woman.

Kana's tight expression softens for a second, and she nearly jumped when Koh's head turns into that of a gaping baboon, laughing evilly. "You've come to me with a new face." He whispers into her ear. "It's been so long since I've added a child to my collection. So... how may I help you?"

"I need to find the moon and the ocean." Kana murmured.

"Their spirit names are Tui and La, push and pull. And that has been the nature of their relationship for all time. Just like you and the little Air Nomad." Koh hesitated at something in Kana's eyes, before twirling around.

"Where are they?" she demanded.

"You should be less concerned about where they are, and more about what is about to happen to them." He shoots back down with his angry face. "Someone's going to kill them!"

"What do you mean? How can I find and protect them?"

"You've already met them, actually." Koh said casually, moving to look away. "Tui and La, your moon and ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other, push and pull, life and death; they were the inspiration for the existence of two Avatars. They are good and evil, Yin and Yang."

"The koi fish… Thank you for your help, I must be going now." Kana murmured, taking a step forward. She managed to hear one last thing before disappearing back into the black void.

"We'll meet again."

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**From the sky**

"Don't worry, Prince Zuko can't be getting too far in this weather." Yue said, putting a hand on Katara's shoulder.

"I'm not worried they'll get away in the blizzard. I'm worried that they won't." she whispered, taking the other girls hand in her own.

"They're not going to die in this blizzard. If we know anything, it's that Zuko never gives up. They'll survive, and we'll find them." Sokka snapped.

"I can't believe I lost her." Katara moans.

"You did everything you could, and now we need to do everything we can to get her back." Katara looked up at her brother, tears in her eyes. "Zuko can't have gotten far. We'll find him. Kana's going to be fine."

"Okay." she sniffs. "I just wish we could have left Aang at the Oasis."

"It was too dangerous, and you know it."

"I know, Sokka."

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**She watched the life**

"Guess we'll be here awhile." Zuko snarled, looking out at the raging snow. "I finally have you, the Avatar, but I can't get you home because of this blizzard." He can't help standing to go look outside, the chill almost making it not worth it.

"There's always something. Not that you would understand. You're just like my sister. Everything always came easy to her. She's a Firebending prodigy, and everyone _adores_ her. I spoke to my uncle about you after you left, " he snapped, "he said it was near impossible for an Avatar to learn the elements out of order. That there would be dire consequences. I guess that doesn't mean anything to you though, being the prodigy _you_ are."

"My father says some people are born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born. I can't decide which you are." he laughed dryly. "I guess you're like me, after all it's not everyday you're suppose to kill someone you love to do your duty. We don't need luck, though. I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am."

"And who exactly are you, Zuko?" Kana asked suddenly, making the prince turn sharply on his heel. "Because under that hard shell, all I see is someone whose lost."

"And what would you know about it?" he snarled, enraged. When had she woken up?

"I told you once that we were more alike than you think, and I was telling the truth. Struggling and fighting leave a person hollow, empty. And most of all, it leaves a person hurt. And the only way to get rid of that hurt is to admit they're there, and let someone heal them."

"And who would you recommend do that," he snapped, "you?" She shrugged slightly with a sad smile.

"I don't think I'm the right person for that," she whispered, "I have my own sadness, as you so kindly reminded me." He winced at her words, he didn't mean to bring up the painful fact that she would need to kill the Airbender… They were obviously close. Without a word he walked over to her side, sitting back down.

"Do you make a habit of being a damsel in distress, Zuzu?" she asked, making him flich at the nickname, but she obviously took it the wrong way as she tilted her chin up slightly, motioning to his face. He ran a finger over his skin, feeling the outline of a burn, causing him to grimace. "Those are going to scar if you don't deal with them."

"What's a few more burns on my face?" he laughed darkly, making Kana frown.

"I could heal those for you. I wouldn't even need both of my hands."

"Why would you want to help me?" he asked, and her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Bits of kindness go a long way, Zuko… And I don't want you to hurt even more when you see your reflection." They waited in silence for what seemed like the longest time, then, he nodded. Zuko reached behind Kana, and carefully undid the knot.

So as not to cause any alarm, she slowly scooped a bit of snow, melting it in her hand. He made sure to watch her closely, and when the newly melted snow began to pulse a bright blue, he let out a breath. It was as beatiful as he remembered it to be.

She slowly lifted her glowing hand to touch his face, and he didn't say anything, just looked into her eyes. It was like watching the night sky, or the sunrise over the sea, in the throbbing light, colors acted like shadows over the icy blue irises. Her touch was gentle, and soft as she traced her fingers down his burnt cheek and chin, the burns fading when the blue light caressed them.

That moment they shared something that wasn't affection, but understanding. Those two - almost three - years at sea searching for something that Zuko could never find, and then a girl with blue eyes gave him more hope than he'd ever felt.

For Kana, everything seemed to crash down on her, breaking her steely resolve. Her family, her people, the Air Nomads, all of them were gone. Then a boy with a scar showed her how to still fight for what she believed was right, even when it seemed like it wouldn't make a diffrence.

Zuko didn't know exactly how she felt, and she didn't know exactly how he felt. But they knew enough, so he wrapped his arms around her waist, and she his neck. He kissed her straight on the lips, and she kissed him back.

At that moment everything seemed to become crystal clear, all that time they had spent together, everything they had learned about the other. Something had blossomed between them, no matter how much he had tried to burn it, or she tried to freeze it in ice. It was weak, and wilting, but not dead.

They pulled back, and both knew that it wasn't a kiss of affection, but the need to have someone understand, and yet at that moment it didn't seem to matter. For that one second, they were just there, and nothing mattered.

When his eyes snapped open, his gold gaze found her blue. Their eyes locked so intensely that the rest of the world drained of color and faded away. In one of those surreal, strange moments, they're hit with a wave of emotion so mind numbing that they stop Kana was thankful that she and Jet had been interrupted before kissing.

"I'm sorry." She whispered closing her eyes in pain. Before he can even comprehend what's happening, Kana swung her arm up slamming a wave of water into his chest, propelling her out of the cave. She skid along the snow for about fifteen feet, landing winded on her back.

Sucking in a breath of air, she sat up, reaching for the ropes at her ankles. She could see Zuko stomping from the cave, the ropes in his hands, with a look of betrayal that seemed ten times worse than anything she'd ever seen before. He reached her in a matter of seconds, grabbing her wrists painfully. "That won't be enough to escape."

"Appa!" Kana shouted in surprise, Zuko twisting around to see the giant bison land, and the Avatar slide from the beast.

"Jealous that I didn't take you instead, Avatar?"

"No." Aang growled, swinging his arm up, launching Zuko into the air with a pillar of ice, before slamming him back into the ground. It seemed the full moon did wonders in making him a better Waterbender.

"Hey, this is some quality rope!" Sokka announced, taking it from Zuko's unconscious form, as Kana untied her feet.

"We need to get to the Oasis; the Spirits are in trouble!" Aang yelled, hopping onto Appa, followed by Sokka. Kana bit her lip glancing back at Zuko before running over to him. "What are you doing?"

"We can't just leave him here!"

"Sure we can, lets go." Sokka ordered.

"No. If we leave him, he'll die." She snapped, pulling both of them up into Appa's saddle.

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**She'd known she would leave behind**

A searing pain tore through Yue's head, and she grabbed her head in pain. "Are you okay?" Sokka asked in alarm.

"I feel faint." She whispered, staring up at the blood red moon.

"I feel it too," Aang hissed, "the Moon Spirit is in trouble."

"We owe the Moon Spirit our lives." Kana murmured, rubbing her temples.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked.

"A long time ago when the Tribes were still one, there was a woman who was born in silence. When she was born she was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they're born, but she was born as if asleep, her eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could." Yue murmurmed.

"They told her mother and father she was going to die. Her mother pleaded with the spirits to save her. That night, beneath the full moon, the mother brought her to the oasis and placed her in the pond. Her dark hair turned white. She opened her eyes and began to cry, and they knew she would live. That's why her mother named her Mizuki. For the moon."

"Ever since then, the girls in the royal family were born with white hair, some with more than others." Kana said motioning to Yue, then hereslf. "It means that the Moon Spirit gave us life, like she did to Mizuki. It signifies that without the spirits' help, none of us would have been born. It's also how Pakku recognized me as being part of the royal family."

"We owe our lives to the Moon."

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**Said goodbye**

"I am... a legend, now!" Zhao laughed, hand grasping a bag with the Moon Spirit in it, lowering it down to his head. "The Fire Nation will, for generations, tell stories about the great Zhao, who darkened the moon. They will call me, Zhao the Conqueror, Zhao the Moon Slayer, Zhao the Invincible!"

Without warning something leapt on top of his head. "Ugh... get it off! Get it off!" The flying lemur flew from his head across the Oasis, and landed on an extended arm with tattoos.

The Fire Nation soldiers readied for battle, and the children followed suit, making Zhao snort. "Don't bother." he growled, putting a fist inches from the burlap sack holding the Moon Spirit.

"Zhao don't!" Kana exclaimed, holding her arms up in the universal sign for peace.

"It's my destiny to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe." he growled.

"Destroying the moon won't hurt just the Water Tribe." Aang warned, "It will hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world."

"They're right, Zhao." Iroh snarled, emerging from the darkness.

"General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?"

"I'm no traitor, Zhao, the Fire Nation needs the moon, too; we all depend on the balance. Whatever you do to that spirit I'll unleash on you ten-fold. Let it go, now!" Zhao's face twisted in fear, and confusion before he fell to his knees, letting the koi fish slide back into the world.

The red sky turned back into the inky darkness it always was. But in a fit of rage he lifted his hand and let out a burst of fire, just as a jet of water knocked, and froze, him to the ground. He watched as the moon disappeared from the sky. Iroh's enraged yell filling his ears, as fire lit up the Oasis, as his soldiers were quickly defeated.

"There's no hope now, it's over." A whimpering reached him.

"No," an echoing voice snarled, "it's not over."

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**And gave her**

Aang enters the water slowly, ripples expanding gently from his movements. He stands in the middle, taking a meditative stance as La circles him frantically. The koi fish stops, his eyes lighting up, and without warning Aang descends into the water with a splash.

Blue lightning-like energy expands from the oasis island into the water, as the oasis begins to light up in the same blue color. The energy moves to the edge of the oasis, rising up to form a giant amphibious-like creature, facing out toward the sea, with Aang in the center, controlling it. Everyone in the city looked on at this creature's sudden appearance, awe on all of their faces.

Aang moved past a river, Fire Nation soldiers on one side, Pakku and his group on the other. The Water Tribe all bow down as the Fire Nation soldiers prepare to attack, and with one sweep of the arm, the soldiers are wiped from the ice. Aang, controlling the massive creature, begins to head to the ocean, laying waste to any Fire Nation soldiers on the way.

Kana could feel all of his rage and hatred as if it were her own, but she had a much deeper burn. With a slow turn, her eyes landed on the fallen Zhao, who, before he had killed the moon, she had frozen to the ground.

She took a step forward, and could taste ash in her mouth. As she made her way to the Admiral, he screamed in terror, making her lips pick up in a smirk. As she saw her reflection in the man's eyes, there was a whisper in the back of her mind, and she knew she should be afraid. But she wasn't. Kana reached down, ice melting at the heat of her touch, and she grabbed the Admiral by the throat.

"Who are you?" he croaked out in fear, making the girl grin wider. She squeezed, cutting him off, while she stared at her hand, her veins glowing a deep gold. She could see her eyes glow a flaming red in Zhao's pupils. How strange.

"You know who I am," she said, voice seeming to spark like a fire, "you can feel the power."

"That's not possible!" he screamed, making her laugh as the gold began to spread to the Admiral.

"The moon and sun have been allies since very near the beginning. She was needed for balance, for restraint. Without her the world would have burned, but there was never any hope for someone like you, someone without restraint."

"No, please Agni, no!" she laughed yet again.

"It is time for your reckoning, Admiral Zhao. Just as you burn everything in your path, you yourself will be burned. As a true child of Agni should be, no?" She asked, with a grin.

"No, no, no!" he screamed, but was cut off by Kana squeezing his throat. The gold spread up into his veins, his eyes and mouth lighting up with a deep red, before he simply blew away on a gust of wind.

She glanced back at the others surrounding the pond, and felt the Great Spirit leave her. Kana dropped to her knee in a surge of tiredness, head spinning. She struggled to her feet, limping back to the group, who were so busy worrying about the deceased Moon Spirit that they didn't notice Kana's actions under the spirits control.

"It's to late, its dead." Katara whispered.

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**People life**

"You have been touched by the Moon Spirit!" Iroh exclaimed, looking at Yue. "Some of its life is in you!"

"Yes you're right. It gave me life, maybe I can give it back." She said stealing her face.

"No! You don't have to do that." Sokka yelled, clutching at her hand. She looked back at him, face crumpling slightly as they met eyes.

"It's my duty, Sokka."

"No," Kana said, all eyes turning on her. "It's mine."

"What? Kana you can't, you're the Avatar!" Yue gasped.

"And it's the Avatars duty to keep balance in the world." She said gently, slipping her hair from its topknot, and pulling out a lock of white hair. "It's time I do _my_ duty, to the world, and my people."

"The world needs you." Katara whispered.

"And it will always have me. Through Aang." Kana murmured, with a sad smile. "Sokka, take Yue and Katara out of here."

The Water Tribe boy hesitated for just a moment, before nodding. He understood. This was the world now; this was what happened in times of war. He grabbed the two girls by the hand, and dragged them out of the Oasis as Kana sunk to her knees next to Iroh.

"I'm sorry." The old man said gently, handing her the koi fish.

"I know, Iroh. I know." She took in a deep breath, cradling the spirit in her lap as a white light seemed to radiate from her skin.

"No!" Iroh snapped his head up at the shout, to see his nephew sprinting at Kana. He jumped to his feet, grabbing him by the shoulders before his nephew could knock the Moon Spirit from her lap. He didn't say anything to him, just kept him from doing the unthinkable, and watched.

White spread from the tip of Kana's scalp, engulfing all of her brown hair, and turning it into the same shade as the moon. Her eyes snapped open, glowing as she placed the now wiggling koi fish in the pond, then slumped over dead. He let go of his nephew, and let him catch her as she fell. He gently caressed her cheek, making Iroh's throat tighten.

"Kana?" he whispered, "You have to get up."

"Prince Zuko, we need to leave." Iroh croaked, placing a hand on his shoulder, only to have it shaken off.

"I don't understand why this happened."

"She had a duty to her people, it had been her families fate for generations."

"But not her fate!" Zuko shouted, "that's why she was the Avatar, so this would be avoided!"

"And maybe it was why she was frozen in an iceberg for a hundred years." Iroh said gently, making Zuko's face harden. He stood abruptly, making his uncle step back as he still cradled the girls' body. He walked to the pond where the koi fish swam in an endless circle, before falling back to his knees, and carefully lowered her into the water.

"She gave them her life, the least they can do is take her body too." Zuko snapped, turning on his heel to leave, his uncle following him closely. Iroh glanced up at the moon placed back in the sky where it belonged and all of a sudden he notice something that was off. It was a moonbeam ray, angled down into the Oasis. He pivoted with a gasp upon seeing a beautiful spirit hovering above Kana.

"The funny thing about fate, is that sometimes it's given to another person." She crooned, "My dear, sweet, baby sister, you could never let someone be hurt if you could take it from them. The world needs _you_, not just Aang. You gave me back my life, so let me return the favor."

Iroh watched dumbstruck as the spirit laid a hand on the girls' cheek, the white slowly fading from her hair. She took a breath, chest rising slowly before falling back down. He was too numb to feel, but he watched as his nephew stumbled forward as if in a trance. The spirit reached out to him grabbing his face with a hand, and his collapsing was enough to get the old man moving.

By the time he reached the pond, the spirit was gone, and Kana wasn't. Zuko dunked his arms into the water, and pulled her up, amazingly dry. "Let's go, Uncle."

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**Through her**

"We're sorry, Aang. She's gone."

"No, she isn't."

"But her body isn't at the Oasis."

"She's not gone, she's alive. I can feel it."

"That means somebody took her!"

"She'll get free, and we'll meet again at Omashu."

"Omashu?"

"She knows that I'll want Bumi as my teacher, and that's where she'll go."

"Okay, Aang. We're with you."

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**Sacrifice**

"What do you want to do when we reach a Fire Nation settlement, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked.

"We'll rest, then find where the Avatar is going."

"Why not just turn Kana in?" he asked suspiciously. His nephew didn't answer for a moment before sighing.

"She's suffered enough."

"That is quite the sacrifice, Prince Zuko. I'm proud of you."

"I'm tired, Uncle." Iroh put a hand on his shoulder with a fond smile.

"A man needs his rest." His nephew fell onto his back, sprawling out on the makeshift raft. He turned his head to glance at Kana's sleeping form, before sighing and turning away.

**And that does it for Book 1: Fire! Ugh, right? Anyways, for all of you who have been following, I give you a hearty thanking, and a cookie! Book 2: Earth will start after the next chapter, which will be what Kana and Bumi did to get in trouble! I know some of you are like FINALLY DANG IT. Haha. The next book will not be separated from this, so you don't need to follow anything but this single story. **

**And one last thing, since Yue is ALIVE, it's time for a poll for Sokka! Yes it is a romance poll, and you guessed it! It's between Yue and Suki, and Yue will NOT be a damsel in distress. So get to voting, you'll have a few chapters to decide.**


	21. Book splitter: Tales of fun in Omashu

**Legal Necessities: **This plot belongs to me, not the characters or locations. Unfortunately.

Book Splitter: Tales of fun in Omashu

"Now Kana, when meeting the King and Queen of Omashu, you must remember your manners." Hariti ordered as they were walking down the palace halls.

"I know how to behave, Hariti. You can trust me." Kana said with a smile.

"Just, don't do anything I haven't taught you, it is incredibly hard to change an Earthbenders opinion once its been settled."

"I understand, but I think I can handle it." The twelve year old teased, as they came up on the large doors, leading to the throne room. Hariti blew out a breath of air, and pushed the doors open, a hand on Kana's neck to make sure it stayed bent down. The girl rolled her eyes, but didn't do anything.

"We had heard that you would arrive today, Air Nomad… And that you would bring with you… an interesting little girl."

"She doesn't look that interesting to me!" a snorting laugh came from the front of the room, causing Kana to raise her eyes. Sitting next to two adults, a boy laughed at her with a wide grin, making her lips spread up in a smile.

"Prince Bumi, that is completely rude!"

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Bumi lay in his room, bored out of his mind. Floppsie the First was sick and asleep in his mini-chamber (which had been newly refurbished). He had been strictly forbidden from Earthbending for the week, after a nasty accident involving a cabbage man, his cart, and the delivery system. There were endless possibilities with it, and he thought about testing his new idea of making a slide out of the delivery service, but quickly decided against it. What fun would that be without someone to enjoy it too?

His friends were all either busy with relatives or away. It was 'Cherry Blossom day', and most children went out of Omashu to spend with family – or had family come to them – to view the flowers.

Bumi sighed and stood up. He might as well go and bug his father to see what was up in politics. He could always get a good laugh out of stuffy old men, so he heaved a great sigh, and walked to the door. As he was about to leave his room, he heard his father talking to someone. Why would his dad's conversation lead to his room?

"Is this your son's room?" A voice- a surprisingly young voice- said.

"Yes, why don't we see if he's in? He's about your age, and I'm sure he's bored out of his mind by now." True to his words, Bumi heard his father knocking.

"Come in." he said, tying his headband on. His father entered, leading the small Water Tribe girl he had seen in the throne room a week ago with him.

"Hi." The girl said, smiling shyly. "My names Kana." She held out her hand, which Bumi shook.

"Bumi." He introduced himself, smiling slightly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his father walking quietly away. "So, what brings you to Omashu?" He asked, leaning against the wall.

"Well, Hariti wanted me to travel around, so I can meet more people. And plus, this way I can see some Earthbending before I have to learn it." The last bit made him do a double take.

"Learn Earthbending? But, you're from the Water Tribe!"

"Yeah, I'm a Waterbender."

"You're the Avatar, aren't you?" Bumi said. As he talked, he imagined all the things one could do if they mastered all the elements. "With Waterbending, the Avatar could heal all the cuts he got from messing around no problem, then fly around, then play around with rocks, then…"

"No! Well, I am, but…I would never just mess around like that!" The look on Kana's face was hilarious, eye's wide and mouth open in silent protest. Bumi couldn't help it. He snorted; he couldn't hold back his laughter.

Kana's expression changed from one of protest to that of indignation. "What's so funny?" Shee asked, looking behind Bumi at the mirror to see if there was something on her face.

"Just a simple bore, huh?" Bumi said, as his snorts slowed to a stop. "You're a funny gal, Kana."

"Thanks?" The Avatar replied, giving him an odd look.

"So Kana, ever hear of the Omashu delivery system?"

"It's supposed to be the best in the world." Kana said with a nod.

"Well, let me show you something."

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They had spent nearly the entire year together, which surprised everyone. The two children were obviously the best of friends, and the only time Kana and Bumi weren't together figuring out a new way to get in trouble, is when she was with Hariti. Which wasn't as often as people had expected.

In fact the only time the Air Nomad had taken the slightest bit of control of the girl was when that young monk had arrived, Bumi recalled. It was a shame; Kana and Aang would have gotten along 'swimmingly'. But the past was the past, and the Water Tribe girl was set to leave tomorrow, and head towards the Fire Nation.

So Bumi opened his mind to the possibilities, and came up with a scheme that would far outshine anything Kana would do in the Fire Nation. With a snorting laugh, he banged on her door until it literally fell down, making her jump. "It's time for our finally prank!" he boomed.

"What?"

"Come with me, we're going to pull off the perfect crime!" he bellowed, grabbing Kana by the arm and pulling her after him.

"Could you please tell me what you have in mind?" she shouted in frustration, half of the time she didn't know what she was getting into until it was to late. Bumi just let out another chortle, pulling her along.

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"I still don't see why we have to do this." Kana groaned as the two kids made their way along the underground compound beneath Omashu.

"Because the only way to get people to see a problem is to make one!" Bumi chortled leading her along the dark passages.

"But doesn't this seem over the top?"

"The only thing that's over the top is the sky." He snorted in laughter. Kana sighed as they reached their destination, but shrugged as Bumi made stairs that led up to the ceiling, and followed him up them. "Ready?" he asked, and she nodded her assent. With one stomp, the roof opened up allowing a torrent of water to rush out, which Kana quickly diverted with her bending.

"I still think you're crazy for doing this." She said as they went up the dark tunnel Bumi was carving.

"Fun though, isn't it." He grinned, making her shake her head, unable to hide her own smile.

"True enough."

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Rubble shot up from the floor, Kana and Bumi crawling from the hole made. They waited in silence to see if anyone had heard the ruckus, but as they expected, no one did. Kana was starting to see why Bumi had wanted to do this; someone could easily get into his room without any trouble.

"Okay, so where is this oh so important gift?" She asked, making her Earthbending friend grin, and walk over to the closet. He went inside, coming back out after rustling around for a minute, and placed a package on his bed. Kana raised her eyebrows, but moved beside him, pulling back the rice paper.

Sitting inside was an entire outfit. There was a dress that was a dark moss green, with lighter swirls inside the corners, and a dark outline on the edges. Sitting on top of the silk outfit were two pieces of jewelry, one a necklace with a golden coin, the other a finely crafted ornate headpiece.

"I was going to give you this as a present – my parents said I could – but with what we have planned, I doubt they would still let me give these to you. They used to belong to Kyoshi, I'm sure she wouldn't if you had them." He snickered, and Kana punched him in the arm.

"Yes I'm sure she wouldn't, after all I don't mind." She giggled with him. "Okay, now can we please get on with your insane plan?"

"Yup, it's time for my 'kidnapping'!"

"Well back down into the underground." Kana groaned, folding the rice paper back over the dress, and putting it into a bag.

"We can't go back down there, that's the first place they'll look for us. The point of this was to get away free, and prove that the security is lax."

"Well than how are we escaping then?" Bumi grinned with an evil glint in his eye, and before she could even comprehend what was happening, he scooped her up into his arms, diving out the window. Kana bit back a scream as they flew towards the delivery system, landing perfectly in a speeding cart.

"This is how you make a daring escape!" the Earthbender shouted in glee as Kana finished having her mild heart attack.

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"I don't know if I should slap you, or kiss you!" Kana laughed, holding her sides tightly and leaning against a wall for support.

"You could do both." Bumi gasped, head between his knees as he tried to gulp in torrents of air to no avail.

"You're absolutely crazy." She giggled as her friend snorted in laughter. "How you managed to get all of the city guards after us proves it!"

"We had to make your last day here interesting, not to mention now I know where to heighten security." He said with a mischievous smile.

"I don't think that's going to get us out of trouble when they find us." Kana whispered, still giddy from the adrenaline that was coursing through her veins, as two guards passed the alley they had ducked into. They were still searching for the two fugitives that were on the run.

"How angry could they possibly get Kana? After all the Avatar was simply proving a point of how easy it was to do this." Her lips turned up into a smirk.

"I take it back, Bumi. You aren't crazy, you're a mad genius!"

"Hold the compliments until after we get out of the city, and stash that dress of yours." He grinned widely.

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"What is this place?" Kana gasped, staring open mouthed at everything she could see.

"It's called The Temple of Lovers. I figured it would be the perfect place to hide the dress until you can come back and get it."

"It's so beautiful here…" she whispered, still awestruck at the place.

"Ya, would you like to hear about its history?"

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Kana and Bumi sat facing the Earth King and Queen, heads bowed in respect. Hariti was standing at the doors behind them, and both knew she was glaring holes into Kana's back. It was only fair; Bumi's parents were throwing daggers at him with their eyes.

"Would you please explain to me _why_ the two of you did this?" the king asked, control barely kept from his years of trained restraint. Kana's throat suddenly dried, and she swallowed.

"A while back Bumi came to me and expressed his worry about the security in your palace," she started slowly, "he explained that he was worried that – if they were dedicated enough – people could get into the palace, and commit crimes against the royal family."

"You mean like you did?" the queen snapped, anger seeping out of her lips with each word.

"As the Avatar, I believed it was my duty to Omashu to make absolutely certain that your family would be safe. What better way to prove you _aren't_ safe, than by enacting the act itself?" There was a brief moment of stillness before the king burst into laughter.

"You're going to be quite the politician one day!"

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"Next time you visit, I'll have thought of a way to top what we did!" Bumi promised with a snort.

"You're going to be the death of me." Kana groaned, making him laugh even harder.

"Right now I would watch out for Hariti, it's a good thing she's an Air Nomad or she might have ripped your throat out."

"She's pretty angry, so that's still a possibility."

"Well than I'll see you in the next life, buddy." Bumi said glumly patting her back with a morose look. Kana punched him in the arm.

"Stay rockin' Bumi."

**Spirits I hated this chapter. I don't know why, I just do. It feels like something's missing, but I don't know what. Oh well, the next chapter is the start of Book 2 and I can't wait to get started!**


	22. Chapter 1: The state they're in

**Legal Necessities: **I now officially own this, mhmmm.

Book 2: Earth

Chapter 1: The state they're in

Sometimes, we have to cry or be consumed by the pain concealed from others. And sometimes we have to keep hiding our tears for others that have an even deeper hurt. I envied Aang. He still felt that saving everyone was a possibility, my own death taught me otherwise. His pain was deeper than my own, even if he had suffered less.

I came from a race of warriors though; everyone was raised being told there was a great chance they'd die tomorrow, their friends would die today, and the cycle would continue without any of them. No one could leave any battle without loss of some kind or another.

During those long days and nights of silent war on Zuko's ship, I tended to forget about things. Being young, carefree, and friends with others instead of enemies. That's because warriors are serious minded people. I was serious before the training, it only got worse with time. I was the perfect fighter, and I was told to forget about being anything other than the truth of the battle field.

Do not worry about fancy clothes, but what weapon to bring to battle. Do not have time for lazy gossipy afternoons, but focus on true politics. Do not confess that saving the world isn't all one needs to make them happy. I'm willing to except that to bring balance, I was always willing. After all, only justice will bring peace. I've known that since before I was born, and for many lives before. Only justice.

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The trip that would have taken three weeks, took only three days of non-stop labor on Kana's part. Both Iroh and Zuko had tried to convince her to rest for a day when she had awoken, but she had silenced them with two words: be quiet. They didn't speak until they reached land, and it was just a matter of time before she exploded.

Another few days of silence, and Zuko's nerves were completely frayed. In the end, he didn't know what he said or did to set her off. His surprise at her finally loosing her temper caused him to miss what she said. "What?" he asked, making Kana's cheeks redden.

"Am. I. Your. Prisoner?" she grit out between clenched teeth.

Zuko blinked in surprise, actually thinking about the question before responding with an astonished, "No."

"Than why did you bring me with you?" she screamed at him, arms flailing in anger, "Does it bring you some sick pleasure just to know you could!?"

"No, that isn't why!" he said shocked.

"Than what? Did you think it would weaken Aang?"

"No damn it, that wasn't it!"

"Why," she screeched, "why did you do it?"

"Because I had to make sure you wouldn't die again!" he shouted, finally losing his temper. Kana's eyes widened in shock, her lips slightly agape, but nothing came out, allowing him to continue. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Zuko knew it was coming, but was unable to – and slightly didn't want too – get out of Kana's lunge forward. Her arms wrapped around him tightly, causing his back to stiffen, but she just melted deeper into him, face burying in his neck. "I was so scared." She whispered.

His shoulders relaxed, and he uncertainly embraced her.

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Kana rested spread out on her back beneath a blooming cheery blossom tree that sat next to a calm river. Zuko slouched against the trunk, and Iroh was in the bathhouse probably having a massage.

"Who knew that contemplating leaving two people on a chunk of ice – while deserted in the middle of the artic sea – for the vultures would be so stressful." She teased, flipping onto her stomach to stare at the prince, noticing his dark demeanor. "If you brood anymore, you're going to kill the tree."

"I'm not brooding." He snapped, making Kana's lips perk up mockingly.

"Me think the lady doth protest too much." She snickered, and he rose his head to glare at her from beneath his straw hat. She sighed, rising to her knees before speaking again. "What's wrong, Zuzu?" He flinched, and she frowned. Did he really not want to talk about it that much?

Suddenly her shoulder tensed, "Are you reconsidering taking me to the Fire Nation?" Zuko's eyes snapped up to hers.

"No,"He snapped, "I promised you I wouldn't, and I don't break promises." Kana let herself relax, but kept the skeptical look on her face, making him grunt. "The anniversary of my banishment is soon, I'm _not_ betraying you."

"You should talk about these things, it's unhealthy to bottle up your emotions."

"You're one to talk about bottling your emotions, you never speak about what happened between you and your father!" He shouted angrily at her, back now ramrod straight.

"I did talk about it, just not with you." She murmured gently, "It helped."

"Talking about my problems isn't going to help, only action will!"

"Why?" Kana pressed.

"Because I want it back, and talking wont give it back!" He yelled, standing furiously. "I want my honor, I want my throne, I want my father not to think I'm worthless!"

"I'm sure he doesn't. If he did he wouldn't have banished you." Kana said. Zuko stared down at her as if she had said the stupidest thing in the world, and turned to leave without a word. She caught his sleeve, forcing him to turn back to look at her. "If he didn't care, he would have just killed you. I know."

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Iroh watched Kana as she examined the board. Not many things could distract him from a good game of Pai Sho, but the girls new demeanor definitely could. Five days ago if someone had asked him to describe her, he would have said she was like ice: cold and hard.

Now if someone were to ask the same question, he would say she was like a summers lake: warm and relaxed. The change was so fast, he was surprised he didn't get whiplash. As she slid a piece across the board, he noticed she even played less aggressively.

Iroh's eyes narrowed as he moved a tile, Kana was more dangerous than he thought. Few people embodied their elements so completely, and without fail. At the moment the only person he could think of was Azula, and being compared to her spoke volumes.

Perhaps it was just luck that Kana embodied water, but considering the violent nature that came with the peace, perhaps it was unlucky. He knew that if the other Avatar were like this girl and Azula, then they would definitely be a threat to the Fire Nation when the time came. He now understood why Sozin would want to end the Avatar cycle.

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_It was overly bright, as if he were standing in the middle of the sun. Zuko shielded his eyes as he looked around, he was looking for something, he just didn't know what. He turned on his heel, then stumbled back in surprise. He heard laughter that sounded like the snap of fire, as he tumbled to the ground, only for his wrist to be caught in a firm grasp._

_His eyes flashed upward, and he blanched in terror. A woman with glowing red eyes stared at him, flame licking at her scalp, acting as hair. Orange lines traced her face and down her neck. Somehow he knew they traveled all the way down her lithe form, She was wearing Kana's clothes, but it wasn't her. It couldn't be her._

"_Burn with me." She laughed, and he yanked himself away only to land on a leather saddle. He was back in the North Pole, on that flying bison. Tied up. He tried to struggle, but was unable to get anywhere as a hand reached for his face._

A flash of lightning woke Zuko, and he bolted up with a thin sheet of sweat covering his forehead.

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"Look at these magnificent shells! I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come." Iroh exclaimed happily.

"We don't need anymore useless things. You forget we have to carry everything ourselves now." Zuko snapped at his uncle, making Kana smile.

"Stop being such a sour plum," she laughed, "I can make a necklace for him… and maybe a tiara for you." Zuko opened his mouth to offer a scathing retort, only to be interrupted by a cool, mocking voice that he knew too well.

"Is that the way you let peasants speak to you now, Zuzu?" Kana's brow furrows at name, her eyes flick down to see her holding a sea shell, but she stays silent as Zuko steps forward angrily.

"What are you doing here, _Azula_?" he practically spit her name.

"In my country, we exchange a pleasant 'hello' before asking questions." she said arrogantly, walking over to face Zuko. "Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?"

"Don't call me that!" he snarled, and its all Kana can do not to flinch back. She'd been calling him that for so long now. It no wonder why he always reacted the way he did.

"To what do we owe this pleasure?" she hissed at the other girl. The shell in Azula's hands shattered, as she turns to stare at her, Iroh grabbing her arm warningly.

"You would be smart to show you're princess respect!" she grit out between clenched teeth, taking a slow breath long enough for Kana to realize she's wearing ire Nation garb. "If I wasn't sent here by father, I would teach it to you myself." Iroh's hand tightened, then loosened as she turned to face Zuko.

"I've come with a message from home. Father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumors of plans to overthrow him—treacherous plots." Azula's eyes flick at Kana pointedly and her voice and face soften. "Family are the only ones you can really trust. Father regrets your banishment. He wants you home."

Zuko turns his face to stare out the window, and Kana whished she could see his expression. "Did you hear me? You should be happy. Excited. Grateful. I just gave you great news." Azula stated.

"I'm sure your brother just needs a moment to—"

"Don't interrupt, Uncle!"

"Why don't you follow your own advice." Kana snarled, causing Iroh to take in a surprised breath. The princess whipped around, opening her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Zuko's soft whisper.

"Father regrets? He... wants me back?" Azula turns slowly to stare at her brother, and Kana's eyes fluttered shut in pain.

"I can see you need time to take this in. I'll come to call on you tomorrow. Good evening." The princess said blankly, walking away with tight shoulders, but not before shifting her gaze threateningly over to Kana.

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"We're going home. After three long years. It's unbelievable." Zuko said happily, walking behind a thoughtful Iroh, carrying some folded clothing.

"It is unbelievable." Iroh stated skeptically, "I have never known my brother to regret anything."

"Did you listen to Azula? Father's realized how important family is to him. He cares about me!"

"I care about you! And if Ozai wants you back... well, I think it may not be for the reasons you imagine." Iroh warned.

"You don't know how my father feels about me!" Zuko stiffened defensively, turning his back to his uncle. "You don't know anything." He snarled, storming from the room, Kana following close on his heels.

"That isn't what he meant, and you know it Zuko." she murmured gently grabbing his shoulder, "I'm certain he only meant things aren't always as they seem."

"I think he is exactly what he seems: a lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who has always been jealous of his brother!" he snarled nastily. He didn't even realize that she had slapped him until he felt a burning sensation on his cheek.

"Don't you dare!" she yelled, "He loves you, he's always loved you, and you treat him like this? Well I'll have you know Azula was lying, I don't know about what, but she was!" Zuko stared dumfounded, but managed to twist his astonished expression into one of anger.

"And how would you know that?" he growled back.

"Because everything she said is exactly the same thing I would say to get at you. Don't be such a damn, blinded fool." She hissed, before stomping away.

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"Wait!" Iroh called out urgently, rushing down the bathhouses stairway waving frantically at Zuko. "Don't leave without me!"

"Uncle!" Zuko exclaimed happily surprised, "You've changed your mind."

"Family sticks together, right?" He smiled warmly, placing a hand on his nephews shoulder. He blinked back the sudden memory if him doing the same thing to a younger, unscarred Zuko.

"We're finally going home." His nephew whispered, continuing forward. Iroh took one last glance at the ship, a skeptical look on his face.

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A group of Fire Nation soldiers form two ranks along the path leading to the ship. Zuko and Iroh walked towards them, causing a head of sweat to form along one of the soldiers brow. She's glad for the helmet or else nothing would be hiding her anxiety. The two men continue along their path.

"Brother, Uncle!" Azula greeted enthusiastically, bowing. Iroh and Zuko both return her bow, the old man opening an eye to watch the soldiers surrounding him. He peered directly at her, and another bead of sweat forms. "Welcome, I'm so excised that you both decided to come!"

"Are we ready to depart, Your Highness?"

"Set course for home, Captain."

"You heard the princess, men! Raise the anchors, we're taking the prisoners ho-" the mans voice cuts off quickly, Azula's face twisting in rage. Before he can even attempt to sputter out an apology, Iroh swung around, back handing the nearest soldier.

With a single motion, Kana dropped her guise as a soldier by kicking out a mans feet, whipping off her helmet, and slamming it into the face of the closest person to her. She grinned as she kicked someone off the ramp and into the freezing water.

Slamming her foot into somebody's chest, she heard Zuko's enraged yell, followed by his sisters' smug response. She felt her own snarl of anger as a boiling sensation filled her chest, a burst of flames jumping from her fist. With a kick of adrenaline, Kana knocked her enemies aside, rushing onto the ship in time see Azula rake her nails across Zuko's head.

The Waterbender let loose a jet of fire, the princess leaping out of the way just in time to avoid being burnt. She must have felt the heat. Her head whipped around to glare at her blue eyes assailant, making Kana smirk. "What's wrong Asi? Didn't expect to see me?"

There was a beat of incredibility before Azula responded. "What did you just call me?"

"Asi. Don't you like it?" Kana asked with wide eyes and a fake pout. "I was really hopping you'd like it as much as Zuko loves Zuzu."

"Unfortunately, I don't." She snarled back, kicking her still stunned brother away, "That's okay though. The name's going to be gone along with the person who made it soon anyways!"

Sparks began to form around the princess, and as she angled her sparking fingers towards Kana, Iroh appeared, latching onto her hand. Electricity flowed from his fingers into the ocean, followed soon by Azula, who was pushed overboard by her uncle.

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Zuko's shadow shinned in the river. The three fugitives ran down a path, pausing at a small body of water at the side of the river. They all collapsed onto their knees breathing hard.

"I think we're safe here." Iroh stated, but Kana just shook her head.

"Neither of you are safe. You're wanted both in the Fire Nation and everywhere else. You're going to have to become completely different people."

Zuko brings out a knife with some writing on the blade. He stares at it for a moment. Iroh nods solemnly and turns to his nephew. Kana takes the knife and brings it behind his head and... Cuts off his ponytail. She shifted over to Iroh and does the same. She released the two ponytails, letting them fall into the water. Zuko and Iroh's hair float down the river, out of sight.

**Hooray! The first chapter in book 1! How do you guys like Azula's and Kana's interactions? Haha, how do you like her nick name Azy?**

Character questions answered:

(Young) **Bumi:** _What would you do if I told you that you might be meeting Kana, more or less, the same way as the last time you saw her when you're an old man?_- You can't meet someone you already know! Haha, besides Kana said she would be visiting again soon!


	23. Chapter 2: The Temple of Lovers

**Legal Necessities: **I owned this one time, but that was before the Fire Nation attacked.

Chapter 2: The Temple of Lovers

Iroh was looking at a pretty white and red flower in the foreground, squatting in front of it, mesmerized. He was in a dense forest wearing a dark green shirt and trousers. A bush began to move in behind him, and and there was a series of grunts as Kana and Zuko, clad similar to his Uncle, emerged from it. Short black hair now covers the princes' head.

"I didn't find anything to eat." Zuko stated frustrated, kicking at the ground. "I can't live like this. I wasn't meant to be a fugitive. This is impossible!" Kana's lips turned up into a smug smile at his complaining, only making his anger rise.

"Uncle, what are you doing?" she asked. The prince grimaced slightly at how casual and endearing she sounded. She had began to call him 'Uncle' when around other people, and it had just formed into a habit of hers. One that Iroh seemed to like very much, after all he never heard his title stated without some sort of malice behind it.

"You're looking at the rare white dragon bush. Its leaves make a tea so delicious it's heartbreaking!" Suddenly his voice turns from loving to grave, "That, or it's the white jade bush, which is poisonous." Kana's brow furrowed, and she opened her mouth to speak before being interrupted.

"We need food, not tea. We're going fishing." Zuko snapped, motioning to her. She tossed a glare at his back as he left.

"Delectable tea? Or deadly poison?" Iroh felt a slight slap on the back of his head, glancing up to see the girls' stern expression.

"Do. Not. Touch. It." With that, she turned on her heel and strode away after the prince. She evaded the thicket unlike him, catching up to him in a matter of seconds. They made it to a river in just a few minutes, and Kana felt content just sitting there watching Zuko struggle.

Kana allowed herself a sarcastic clap when Zuko managed to spear what seemed like a minnow. He threw down the stick to glare at her and even snapped, "What?"

"You're doing it wrong - and quite badly at that." She snickered making him growl.

"Perhaps you should prove you know what you're talking about before criticizing!" She just rose from her seat, grinning, as she went to the edge of the creek. She picked up the pole, and waded into the icy water.

Kana forced herself to stay still in the chilling river, her legs actually _feeling_ blue. Yet she waited patiently, even when Zuko scoffed at how long it was taking. She didn't care, one couldn't rush these things. Thwack!

She slammed the spear through the rushing water, and felt something wiggling at the end of the pole. She pulled it from the creek smugly, a fish on its end.

"I'm from the Water Tribes, Zuko." She chuckled, "I _know_ how to fish." She left the river, and began to rub feeling back into her legs while pulling the water from her clothes. She glanced at Zuko's scowling face. "Would you like me to show you how?"

He opened his mouth to snap at her, but when Kana quicker her brow, he reluctantly shut it. He nodded harshly, and Kana didn't miss that fact. It made her grin wider. "Okay than, good. Get in the water, but don't warm the water around you."

He hesitated to step in the creek, and when the chill of the water hit his leg, it was obvious from the look on his face he was fighting to stay in. It was taking everything for Zuko not to leap from the freezing river. "Shall we get started?" Kana asked with a mocking tone.

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Iroh still sat staring at the flower with a contemplative look on his face when the two got back. "Uncle, you're not still thinking of brewing that into tea are you?" Kana asked with narrowed eyes.

"No. I had in fact decided that I would make this beautiful plant into beautiful tea." He said comically glancing at her, "But then I began to wonder if it would be worth the painful death by your pretty hands. I just made up my mind that yes, yes it would be worth it. Alas you returned, and no longer can I enact this plan!"

"The fact that this could be tea, or a deadly poison, makes me think it was for the best." She said, stepping on the plant.

"Can we stop worrying about Uncles' tea problem, and actually cook these fish?" Zuko snapped, earning a glare from both of them.

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"Where are you taking us now?" Zuko growled as he tripped over an overgrown path.

"To Omashu, you two are refugees now, and that's one of the largest refugee strongholds in the Earth Kingdom." Kana said, gracefully moving through the brush.

"We're not refugees! We're fugitives!" He snapped back at her, so she rolled her eyes.

"You lost your home to the Fire Nation, and have no where to go. To what word does that definition belong too, Zuzu?" Kana flinched at using the nickname, but still didn't apologize, she doubted he'd accept anyways.

"How are we getting there, my dear?" Iroh asked, gently interceding the two. "I have never seen a route leading anywhere in this forest on any map, and I have studied many, many maps."

"That's because there _isn't_ a path leading anywhere here. In fact, the mountains make it impossible to pass here at all." She said, entering a clearing with a giant cliff looming over the trees. "Well... Impossible for all but the wind."

"So how do you plan to get us to Omashu if the mountains are impassible?" Zuko asked aggravated, and Kana smiled slightly.

"Didn't you hear me before, you should learn to listen better Zuzu. One just needs to know how to breeze past the smallest crack to get past these mountains."

With that, the small upturn of her lips spread into a broad grin. She approached the side of the cliff, and placed her hands along it, gently feeling the rock wall. The two men watched dumbfounded as Kana moved along the mountainside - eyes closed in concentration - looking for the 'smallest crack'.

Right as they were about to say something, she stopped, eyes snapping open in victory. She let out a breath of excitement, and her hand slowly wiggled forward, deeper and deeper even though there was still no visible opening.

By the time her arm was in the rock wall up to the shoulder, still nothing had happened. Kana grunted once, shoving forward, and the ground began to tremble, opening to reveal a cave.

Iroh and Zuko stood there, jaws practically touching the ground in shock. Kana turned around with a flourish, arms held wide. "I'd like to welcome the both of you to The Temple of Lovers!" She exclaimed with a smug smirk.

Zuko noticed that one arm was coated in mud, which explained how she managed to push past the 'solid rock' all the way up to her shoulder. But he could only focus on one thing. "The Temple of Lovers?"

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They had unfortunately eaten the rest of the food, which hadn't been much. The walk through the temple would take at the very least a day, but it was ultimately a short cut, so one day of hunger would be better than three. "How did you know about the temple, Kana?" Iroh asked, as they prepared to leave.

"A friend of mine took me here when we were younger, would you like to hear the tale, I think you'd like it, Uncle." Iroh opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by his nephew.

"A story about some _boy_ taking you to a place called The Temple of Lovers? I'd rather fall on a sword." He snapped, making Kana's cheeks flush red.

"I was talking about _the temples_ legend!" she hissed, pointing at it for emphasis.

"I would very much like to hear the story-"Iroh said, trying to calm the situation, but the two teens just ignored him.

"Why _exactly_ did this _friend_ of yours bring you hear?" Zuko snarled.

"Why _exactly_ do you care?" she growled back.

"We should probably get going…" Iroh said quietly, debating whether or not to intervene. He would probably get more than one fireball to the head.

"I don't care!"

"Of course you don't, _your highness_ doesn't care about anything!"

"Oh, I'm sorry _princess_, does my not liking splashing in puddles offend you?"

"My 'splashing in puddles' could beat your lighting a match any day, oh great one!"

"Oh great one?" Zuko let out a bark of laughter, "I like it, could you call me that all the time?"

"I'm thinking of many things I can call you instead!" At that moment, Iroh began to whistle a slow tune. The sharp noise knocked the two verbal combatants into momentary shock, and even had the profound affect of turning Kana's cheeks into a rosy red.

"I'm not against hitting old men, Iroh!" she warned, whipping around to face him. He just chuckled heartily, and Zuko felt realization dawn on him. The last time his uncle had whistled was when he and Kana had gotten into a fight on his ship. He had done a Fire Nation wedding march, and she hadn't realized what it was. Just like he didn't know the song Iroh was whistling now.

Suddenly he burst into laughter, must to Kana's chagrin. He didn't see her fist until _after_ it had struck his jaw.

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They walked along the temples halls, Zuko hanging behind, tossing glares at Kana's back. His jaw still ached, and he swore that anytime she turned to speak to his uncle, she also turned to toss a smirk back at him. How infuriating.

"Don't touch that!" she shouted, knocking him from his thoughts. He jumped in surprise think the command was for him, but saw her hand curled tightly around Iroh's wrist instead. "This temple is just dormant, we don't want to wake it up."

"You talk like this place is alive, instead of just some underground building."

"This was built as a place where people could love freely in a time of war." Kana murmured gently, running her hand along a wall, "there are more tricks hidden in here then you'd expect from the Air Nomads."

"What kind of tricks?" Zuko asked, suddenly interested in the temple. He turned to face her, but just as he posed his question, his elbow knocked into a vase, flinging it to the floor. It shattered, and suddenly there was a loud rumbling like when the temple opened, but instead of the ground shaking, it was the roof.

Kana slammed into him as the first rocks began to fall, ripping the breath from his lungs as they slid along the floor. Zuko felt his head hit a wall, a ringing starting up in his ears. His eyes rolled to the side, and he barely had to recognize the solid wall of debris separating him from his uncle, before the floor caved in.

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_Tip. Tip. Tip._

Zuko was the first to wake, drops of water splashing against his cheek. Not a single ray of light shone down into whatever whole they had fallen in, and with a grunt, he lit a flame in his hand. Debris was sprinkled every which way he looked; yet he managed to discern a lump that was distinctly _human._

Groaning, he rolled to his feet, stumbling when he felt a pain in his chest. He glanced down, then quickly away with a grimace. A long – yet shallow – cut ran along the length of his chest.

Ignoring the slight twinge of pain, he spotted a sconce on a wall and quickly lit it, before dashing over to where he knew Kana to be. There was no one else it _could_ be. "Kana are you all right?' He asked worriedly, sliding to his knees. She was still unconscious, so he gently propped her body up against a stone that had barely missed crushing her.

At the sight of blood, Zuko warily checked her over, grimicing when he foud the source of it. There was a jagged gash at the side of her knee, there were various scrapes and bruises, but none of them were as bad as the cut on her leg. "Kana, wake up." He whispered, patting her cheek gently.

Her eyes fluttered open tiredly, and Zuko jumped when she placed a cool hand against his chest. "You're hurt Zuzu, can I heal you?" she asked. He nodded solemnly, grabbing the water skin from her side, and uncorking it. She reached forward, but he stopped her before she grabbed it.

"You first." He said, nodding at the wound on her leg. She stared at it in surprise, and he noticed how pale her skin was.

"Oh. I didn't see that." She murmured, causing an alarm bell to go off in his head. She was in shock.

"Heal." He commanded. Kana pursed her lips, obviously debating whether or not to offer up a retort, but she did as he said, pooling the water into her hand, and pressing against the wound. Zuko let out the breath he'd been holding when the blood stopped flowing, and even managed to relax when the skin sealed over, leaving a minuscule white line.

"Your turn." She said, her eyes beginning to focus more. He let out a relived sigh as she touched his chest with the glowing water; Kana was regaining her strength. He watched in silence, as he always did. He just couldn't help it, the light that radiated from her hand was just to hypnotic. "There, I'm done."

Zuko snapped back to attention at her voice, and glanced up. "Can you walk?"

"I think so, could you help me up?" He nodded once, grabbing her by the elbow, and lifting her to her feet effortlessly. He didn't miss the hiss she expelled when her toe touched the ground.

"I thought you healed yourself." He snapped accusingly.

"I did," she growled back, "healing takes time, I stopped the blood flow and re-grew the skin, but the brunt of the damage is still there."

"Well I can't have you slowing us down, there's no food and just a water skin of bloody water. Drastic times calls for drastic measures." He grit out, setting his shoulders in determination

"What are you talking abou-" Zuko interrupted Kana by bending down and scooping her up into his arms. She let out a horrified squeak, and smashed her hand against his face, trying to push him away. "What do you think you're doing?" she screeched.

"Trying to live!" he shouted into her hand, trying to take a step forward with a reluctant Kana in his arms.

"Let me down!" she wailed.

"No, this is the only way to make any headway!"

"I swear to every spirit in the sky that if you don't let me down-"

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Zuko was exhausted. He had been walking with a struggling Kana in his arms for what felt like hours, and he finally just had to put her down to rest. He wasn't going to lie, more than once he had thought about dropping her, and leaving. But that's what she gets for kicking him in the face.

"I don't see why you had to fight me every step of the way."

"I don't see why you had to carry me every step of the way."

"Why are you always so difficult?" he yelled.

"Why do you always have to get your way?" she shouted back. They locked eyes, glaring at each other with set jaws.

"We should get going." He growled, bending over to help her up.

"If you try to pick me up, I swear I'll burn you."

"I'm not going to pick you up! I'm going to help you walk!" she glared at him suspiciously, but let him help her up anyways. Zuko grabbed her waist, eliciting a growl of warning from her, making him role his eyes.

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"A dead end." He moaned, dropping to his knees. "We're going to die here." Zuko and Kana stared at a giant carving in the stone. It was a protruding carving of two people leaning forward, and almost kissing, a heart around them.

Kana limped forward, placing a hand against the wall. She peered at it until her eyes hurt. There seemed to be a crack in it. That went all the way up, and down… "It's not a dead end," she gasped, "it's a door!"

Zuko leapt to his feet, and rushed forward, examining it carefully. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." She answered back, making him push against it with a shoulder. She tried to help, but it didn't budge. Finally she just slammed her fist against it in anger. "Why isn't it moving?" she screamed. She rested her forehead against the cold stone in defeat, Zuko sinking back down in a sitting position.

"So what's the legend of this place?" he asked suddenly.

"What?"

"If I'm going to die, I might as well hear it." Kana chuckled, sliding down next to him.

"Ya, I guess so." She murmured. "Long ago there was a war. It was the only war the Air Nomads had, and it was also one of the longest in history. The North and the East against the South and the West. They say that it all started about something petty, but they destroyed any and all recordings about what started it, so nobody knows if that was true or not.

Any ways, the story goes that in the middle of the war two caravans of Air Nomads met, and they began to fall in love with each other, not knowing that they were from opposite sides of the war. But by the time they figured it out, it was to late. To many of their people were in love.

They needed a way out of this war, but no one was willing to help either side of the warring factions, and risk having war declared on them. It seemed their time together was to be doomed to tragedy. But that's when something amazing happened. One city in the entire world sympathized with them, for they already knew what war did to lovers.

The great city of Oma and Shu decide to help them. Together they built this temple in honor of love surpassing war, and named it The Temple of Lovers after The Cave of Two Lovers. The people who spent their time here eventually were the reason the war ended, the Air Nomads have always been a loving people, and when they learned of this place, they admitted the war was wrong."

"And The Cave of Two Lovers?" Zuko asked.

"Why do you want to know about these stories all of a sudden?" Kana questioned gently.

"It's something to think about." _Other than how we're going to die down here._

"Two lovers, forbidden from one another... a war divides their people, and a mountain divides them apart. Built a path to be together. They met on top of the mountain that divided their two villages. The villages were enemies so they could not be together. But their love was strong and they found a way.

The two lovers learned Earthbending from the badger moles. They became the first Earthbenders. They built elaborate tunnels so they could meet secretly. Anyone who tried to follow them would be lost forever in the labyrinth.

But one day the man didn't come. He died in the war between their two villages. Devastated, the woman unleashed a terrible display of her Earthbending power. She could have destroyed them all. But instead she declared the war over.

Both villages helped her build a new city where they would live together in peace. The woman's name was Oma and the man's name was Shu. The great city was named Omashu as a monument to their love.

On her deathbed she had told people how to make it through the cave. She said 'Love is brightest in the dark.' The tomb she and her lover were buried in has the same picture as the one on this door."

"What would you have done if that happened to you?" Zuko asked softly.

"… Only justice will bring peace."

"You would have destroyed them?

"Long before I fell in love."

"It seems strange that the picture they chose would be of them _almost_ kissing. As if they wanted two lovers to complete the kiss for them."

"What?" Kana bleated, hopping back to her feet, and cursing at the sudden pain in her leg.

"Yeah… that actually makes sense." Zuko continued, getting to his feet to stare properly at the mural. "The door is locked, and the only way to open it is by kissing somebody. You can't open it by brute force, so you have to open it with love. Kana-"

"Don't tease me Zuko, we should be thinking of a way out of here instead of playing jokes." She said, face turning red.

"Look at me," He ordered seriously, "do you think I'm teasing you." She stood still like a statue, unable to move. "It probably won't work, but we have to try. Let's try it Kana."

"Don't be stupid," she whispered looking away, "it never even said in the legend that to escape you had to kiss someone."

"Why are you so hesitant, we've kissed once before."

"I thought I might die in a blizzard, I figured I should have at least kissed a boy!"

"Is it because of the scar?"

"What? Zuko no-"

"Because you can just close your eyes and it'll be over soon."

"That isn't why!" She shouted, but this time Zuko was the one to avert his eyes. "I just don't like the thought of having to kiss someone that hates me to live." Suddenly his eyes snapped up to meet hers, and he stepped forward, clapping her face in his hands. She screwed her eyes closed anticipating his kiss, but they snapped back open in surprise at what he said next.

"You don't have to worry," he said seriously, "I don't hate you." She gasped in shock at what he said when his lips touched hers, then held them there for a second. He leaned back, and coughed once over his shoulder with red cheeks. There was a scratching sound, and suddenly the doors slid opened. They both looked at it in amazement.

"Let's go." Zuko said moving away, making Kana dip her head in embarrassment.

"Yeah." She murmured as they walked slowly towards the door. Without warning, it began to slide shut, and Zuko jump between the rapidly closing doors, bracing it with a foot. "Zuko! What's wrong? "

"The doors on some kind of time limit! Hurry up, you go first!"

"What about you?" she asked frantically.

"We can talk after! I'm quick, I can get through it fast!" he grunted out, "Now go, I'm barely holding it." Kana looked at him for a second, then slammed her back into the door, and her good foot on the other side.

"What are you doing?" he shouted in surprise, eyes widening in horror.

"You go first, I'm faster then you, even with my hurt let."

"What, are you comparing?" he yelled.

"Compare to what Zuzu, I'm the Avatar, deal with it!" The door trembled, then slid an inch forward, both of them shaking from the pressure of keeping the path open.

"It's to late now, if someone jumps out now, the other would die." Zuko grunted, sweat running down his spine.

"We have to do it together then. I'll count to three, then we both jump to the left side, be quick about it too, okay?" She said with a grim, smile as he nodded once. "One, two, three!" Kana leapt to the left hitting the ground right on her injured knee. She let out a yowl of pain, but it was quickly masked by the fact that she didn't see a certain prince anywhere. "Zuko, where are you?"

"I'm here." He said, staring dumbfounded at the now closed door. Kana's head snapped up, and she limped to the sealed door, slapping her palms against it.

"What are you doing on that side?" she screamed.

"I just followed your instructions!"

"My instructions?"

"You said jump to the left!" Kana froze in surprise.

"You idiot!" she sputtered making him flinch, "Why would I mean your left! You should of known I was talking about my left and jumped to _your right_! Did the Fire Nation teach you nothing! Zuko…" she murmured thumping a hand against the stone weakly, "you realize you're the most foolish prince of all four nations right?"

"Kana. The ceiling started to leak water." Kana felt her heart leap into her throat when she looked down, and water was seeping from a crack in the floor.

"That isn't just a leak." She croaked, "they just want to… drown you inside of that room." She took a deep breath to calm her mind, "Okay, there has to be a way out. The designers would have left themselves a way out if there was a trap like this set. Look around, is there anything suspicious?"

The water was already up to his knees, and still rising fast, there was practically a small waterfall raining down on him. Zuko looked around carefully sloshing through the water, but he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. He turned once more, than saw it! A brick that wasn't the same color as the others! He dashed forward as fast as he could, lighting a fist on fire and smashing it into the brick, shattering it like glass.

"Did you find something?" Kana shouted in surprise at the sudden noise.

"Yes," he said reaching inside, "a brick that wasn't the same as the rest!"

"What's inside of it?" she asked hopefully.

"Two flints… and a candle." Kana felt the blood drain from her face, her arms shaking.  
"What?" she croaked, "You had to have missed something! There's nothing else inside there?"

"No, nothing." He said slumping against the wall in defeat.

"Damn, I really want to beat the developers of this place." Kana said with a dark chuckle. "I won't leave you here," his head snapped up, "I'll come back, with help. I won't be gone long."

"No! Don't go!" Zuko shouted, "Where would you even find help, we don't know anything about this place, and, and what if you have an accident, then we'd both be stuck down here! Kana… stay here. These things can't be useless; I just need more time to figure it out… Kana?"

"I'm here," she whispered, sinking to her knees. "Hurry up, I don't like to be kept waiting." Zuko allowed himself a small smile before getting to work. He looked around uncertainly before walking to another wall, and knocking a fist against it. He sloshed back to the middle of the room, the water already halfway up his chest.

_Damn,_ he thought, _there's no way to find a way to use these things._ He looked back at the door, _but there has to be a way to get out of here… wait… why is there space between the lips? Having a picture of them kissing would have been more effective…_

Suddenly it hit him; rushing through the crushing water he hit the door loud enough for Kana to hear. She jumped with hope, "Did you find something, Zuko?"

"I think so…" he murmured, pressing his hands against the stone carving. He felt a spark of joy light in his chest; there was a light sensitive hole in one of their mouths! "Love is brightest in the dark." He said looking at the candle, then at the shadows that the protruding picture formed. He tossed the candle and flint to the side, lighting a small flame on the tip of his finger.

He held up the flickering fire, the shadow growing between the gap of the two lovers. "Zuko, tell me what's going on!" she yelled, rising back to her feet

"Everything is fine, let me concentrate!" Kana felt her eyebrow twitch in annoyance, same old Zuko.

"Almost there," he whispered, right as the shadow touched the other carving. There was a moment of silence, but then the doors began to creak open. He only had time for a moment of triumph before the water poured out of the room in a giant torrent, dragging him along like a rag doll.

He felt his entire body smash into something, and it wrapped its arms around him in surprise as they hit the opposing wall with a thunk. He wrapped himself around whoever it was, resting his head on their shoulder as he coughed up all the water he had accidentally swallowed.

"Are you alright?" Kana asked, and he nodded sitting back up. He leaned forward, bracing his weight against the wall, and putting his face inches from hers. Her eyes were open wide in shock at how close they were.

"I'm not as stupid as you think, am I Kana?" She just looked at him gently, bringing up a hand to cup his cheek. She thought he was going to die in there. They just stared at each other for a while, then Zuko began to slowly lean forward. Her hand slid from his face and to his chest, just as their lips were an inch apart, and she pushed against him.

He glanced down at her in shock, unable to speak. "We need to go find, Uncle." She stated, and he jolted away.

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_One of them will end up getting hurt if this continues_. Iroh didn't know what happened when they were trapped together in the temple, but from the way they adverted each other's gazes, it was obvious. If they had encountered the same door as he did, then he knew what they would have tried.

He wondered if they could handle it, or if The Temple of Lovers would be the catalyst of their destruction. But if they were lucky, maybe it could also be the catalyst of their awakening.

**And here you guys go! This was one of my longer chapters, and I hope you all like it! One of my reviewers (TaraMcKennedy) noted that Azy was similar to the German word Asi, which just so happens to mean Social Misfit, funny right?**

**And on another note, the poll about Sokka is now closed!**


	24. Chapter 3: Song and About Omashu

**Legal necessities: **Fire Nations defeated, I own this again.

Chapter 3: Song/About Omashu

"No." Kana whispered, clutching the gift Bumi had given her when she was younger to her chest, and staring down at Omashu. The now Fire Nation controlled, Omashu. Iroh placed a hand on her shoulder, but she just shrugged it off, face hardening. She turned from the city with a snarl, and simply started to walk away. "We need to leave."

"Kana-"

"Now!"

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She lowered her legs into the lake with a sigh. She just sat there, alone, not thinking, not caring about anything. It had been a day since she had found out about Omashu, but the throbbing ache in her chest made it seem as if she were still staring at the Fire Nation insignia.

She ground her teeth together, slipping fully into the calm water, a contrast to how she felt at that moment. Kana sighed as she practically felt a layer of dirt lift from her skin, clothes, and - thankfully - hair. She pooped her head back up, taking another breath of air before dipping back down. She just rested, allowing the gentle waves to rock her back and forth, until she bobbed to the surface to just float.

She knew she should leave Iroh and Zuko, maybe it was just the familiarity of being with them that made her stay, she just didn't want to leave them. Spirits knew they couldn't survive on their own! They were practically like children, except there were snakes in the sandbox, and they thought it was a good idea to see how close they could get to them. "Spirits." She whispered, she was in trouble, wasn't she?

"What are you doing?" A sweet voice asked, making Kana jump, and consequently fall beneath the water line. She rose sputtering, immediately taking the pale hand offered to her, and allowing herself to be pulled back onto land. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have surprised you!" The same voice giggled.

"It's okay, I shouldn't have allowed myself to be surprised."

"That's a funny thing to say." Kana felt herself relax with each word this soft-spoken girl said, and when she looked up, she blinked twice in surprise. She was extremely pretty! Heart shaped face, doe eyes, pink lips, and long obsidian hair marked her as a true Earth Kingdom beauty. She even smiled shyly from Kana's scrutiny. "So what were you doing in the lake?"

"I came here to give myself a healing session, but got caught up with all this water."

"Healing session? But you don't have any herbs!" The girl exclaimed, yet her voice still remained soft, and Kana laughed.

"I don't need herbs, I can heal myself with water. I guess you couldn't tell by my clothes, but I'm from the Water Tribes."

"Really?" The girl asked, "My mother and I help run a small clinic up on the mountain. It's only a fifteen-minute walk from here, and we could really use a Waterbender to help with the injured. They're soldiers from the war, they could really use your help."

"I don't know," Kana said uncertainly, "I would love to help, but-"

"Great!" The girl smiled, grabbing her by the hand, and pulling her along, "My name's Song, what's yours?"

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"Uncle, Kana's gone!" Zuko shouted, emerging from the brush.

"I see, I feared this would happen, just not so soon. Perhaps Omashu being captured has caused her to realize what is best." Iroh murmured, stroking his beard, lost in thought.

"What are you talking about this time, Uncle?" Zuko asked in annoyance.

"Well after what happened between you two in The Temple of Lovers-"

"Nothing happened in The Temple of Lovers! She hurt her leg, and that's the only reason we took so long getting out!" Iroh muttered something unintelligibly underneath his breath, making his nephew growl.

"We should probably do as Kana did and leave, we don't want to be caught out here by any soldiers or bandits."

"When I said Kana was gone, I meant she went up the mountain to the medical clinic!"

"How do you know that?" Iroh asked suspiciously, and Zuko's brow twitched in annoyance.

"Because she left a note, Uncle!"

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"So where are you three from?" Song asked, "You obviously can't be from around here since Kana's a Waterbender, you must be quite the travelers!"

"Yes we're travelers." Zuko exclaimed hurriedly, Kana tossing him a warning glare from over the man she was working on.

"Well do travelers have names?" Song laughed while bandaging an arm.

"Of course we have names," Zuko said hesitantly, and Kana rolled her eyes at the horrible liar he was. "I'm… Lee, and this is my uncle, uh… Mushi." Kana bit her lip in surprise, attempting to keep from laughing, and at that moment she was happy Song was facing away from her.

"Yes, but my nephew was named after his father, so we just call him Junior." Iroh grinned in retaliation, making her stop and count to ten so she wouldn't burst in to a fit of giggles.

"Mushi and Junior, huh?" Song smiled, washing her hands, "To be honest you three look like you could use a good meal, why don't you stay for dinner?"

"Sorry, but we have to be moving on." Zuko said quickly, standing.

"I have to insist! I'd feel bad about making Kana help me out here without any compensation. Besides, my mother always makes too much roast duck."

"Well in that case, where do you live exactly?" Iroh asked with a huge grin.

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"So my daughter hasn't told me much about you, except how kind and helpful _you_ are dear." Song's mother said, nodding to Kana. "If you don't mind my asking, what's your story?"

Kana blurted out the first thing to come to mind. "Lee and I are engaged." Zuko sputtered on his drink, giving a weak apology about it going down the wrong pipe while Iroh's jaw dropped.

"Engaged, how wonderful!" Song chirped in delight, ignoring the two men. "How'd it happen?" Kana laughed, silently cursing herself. She wished she had said they were cousins or siblings, but that was too unbelievable, they looked nothing alike!

"Our families have been friends for generations," she started at a – seemingly – leisurely pace. "It's really a surprise there wasn't a marriage between the two of before. I've known Junior since we were little, we grew up together, and everyone thought it was a wonderful idea to marry."

"So it was an arranged marriage?" Song asked, face falling in disappointment.

"Yes, but my nephew had confided in me that he had planned to propose to our beautiful Kana before that." Iroh said, obviously still seeking revenge for the horribly funny name Zuko had given him.

"Uncle!" he shouted appalled, making Song and her mother laugh.

"No need to be embarrassed, Junior. Love is a wonderful thing!" his uncle responded with a smug grin, making the two teens blush. Kana really regretted going with this lie.

"So why are you traveling together?" Song's mother asked, and Kana swallowed a bit of roast duck, preparing her next lie. If it weren't necessary, she would have felt awful about deceiving such nice people.

"We're going to Ba Sing Se," she said with a disarming smile, "Lee's grandfather is fairly old, and his last wish was to see us marry. We originally planned on having our wedding in four years, but, well…" she let her smile deepen, and the other two women let out coo's of laughter.

"That's do sweet of you three to travel all the way to Ba Sing Se for your grandfather, Junior."

"And romantic," Song added dreamily, "I've heard that Ba Sing Se sunsets are the most romantic in the world." Zuko let out an embarrassed cough, and excused himself, Kana following him out to the porch where he sat cross-legged. She followed his lead, enjoying the cool air brushing against her face.

"That's quite the tale, have you been thinking it up for awhile now?" he murmured, making her cheeks redden.

"No, it unfortunately was the first thing to pop up in my head. Spur of the moment, I guess. You shouldn't be that surprised though, I'm an excellent liar, or did you forget Zuzu?" she teased.

"You sound proud of that fact." He said blankly, and she hesitated with uncertainty. She didn't know what he wanted her to say, so she went with the truth.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," she muttered, "it's just another mark showing that I'm a survivor." Kana glanced at Zuko, who just kept staring out over the porch at the dragonflies. She bit her lip, and slowly raised her hand until it was parallel to his face. Almost as if in a trance she reached for his scar, but he grabbed her by the wrist without looking at her. "It's just another mark, Zuko. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

He remained silent, and at that moment, Kana remembered something her grandmother had told her when her father never returned. She had said that sometimes to know where the line was drawn, you had to cross it. His grip was soft, easily escapable, she could push forward and touch his scar if she wanted to.

She wondered where the line was between them, and as the seconds drew out and turned into a minute, she realized something. Neither of them knew where the other stood, she didn't know if she'd be crossing that invisible line if she touched him, and there was a chance of him never forgiving her if she did. So she let her hand drop.

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"Stay the night." Song all but ordered, making Kana raise an eyebrow.

"We can't impose like that." Iroh said, gently declining their offer with a warm smile.

"Not at all," her mother agreed with a nod of the head, "I'm afraid that we have to insist. Those men that you helped are going to make a full recovery, some of them we had all but given up hope that they'd get better. Just for the night. There aren't any inn's nearby, and a good night's rest will speed your trip along."

Song watched as Kana bit her lip, looking first at Mushi, then at Junior, and finally back at her mother. "I guess one night wouldn't hurt." She said slowly.

"Well then I'll show you gentlemen to the guest room, and you dear," her mother nodded to the Waterbender, "can share Song's room."

"That's right," she chirped happily, "you can sleep with me tonight." Kana smiled gently at her, and her own lips pulled up into a soft grin. She really liked these three, they were all so nice and honest.

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Kana sat in Song's room, a candle illuminating the warm colors that surrounded her. When the other girl walked in the room, she was clad in a similar gown to her own, which was expected considering she had borrowed it from her.

"Mother's cleaning your clothing now, but she said this would have to be specially washed." Song said, holding out Kana's package that held her dress and hair ornaments, which she promptly took. Quietly, she placed it near the bed. "If I may, where did you get it?"

"A friend I had in Omashu gave it to me." She murmured, causing Song's face to fall.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it wasn't your fault. I wish I knew who's it was though."

"They say it's King Bumi's, that right before the invasion started, he simply gave up and surrendered."

"That doesn't sound like Bumi," Kana whispered, "Why would he do that?"

"Mother said that he did the right thing. That the Fire Nation had brought so many soldiers that it would have been impossible to fight against and win. She says that he saved everyone's lives, but that they're to stubborn to realize it."

"Was the invasion really that bad, was there no way they could win at all?" Kana asked, and Song shook her head.

"Those men you healed, most of them were resistance soldiers. None of them would have even been alive to get treatment if they had tried to defend Omashu. They were willing to lay down their lives; I'm glad King Bumi saw that it would have been nothing but a waste of life. He's a wise man."

"I wouldn't say that," Kana said with a fond smile, "I would say he's more like a mad genius."

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"Thank you for your hospitality." Kana said bowing in the customary Earth Kingdom tradition of gratitude.

"And thank you for saving those men's lives." Songs mother replied with her own bow. "I know you're going to deny it, but I think you already know we're not going to take 'no' for an answer."

Kana raised her eyebrows, glancing at Iroh and Zuko to see if they knew what was going on, they both just shrugged. Song walked away, and into the stable, leading out an Ostrich Horse by the reigns.

"We want you to have him," she said with a smile, waving away Kana's protest with a wave of the wrist. "He's a good boy, but we can't care for him properly. With everything at the clinic going on, we almost can't afford him, all of our money goes into buying herbs to treat the wounded."

"We humbly request you take him to Ba Sing Se for us so that he can do what he was born to do, be a war horse." Song's mother smiled, taking the reigns from her daughter, and pushing them into Iroh's hands. She must have known Kana would have pushed them back. "And as a little incentive, I've packaged up the rest of the roast duck from last night for you're travels."

"We'll take him for you!" Iroh exclaimed eagerly taking the food from the woman, Kana putting a hand to her head in exasperation as the others laughed.

**Hmm, I'm surprised that this chapter was so short! I thought for sure that the interactions between Song and her mother were going to be relatively short, but I guess this is what happens when the characters take over, haha. Come to think of it, that probably should have been expected, Song is my third favorite minor character after Yue, and Jun.**

**Any ways, hoped you liked it, yada yada, love you all, yada yada. Special shout outs to Emberscar, Shadow Realm Triforce (Zelda right?), and Egarcia512 for being faithful reviewers. Cookies to all of you. Except Emberscar, Azula is still after you so she stole your cookie :D**

**And Finally, I'm setting up a small poll that will last until my next chapter goes up. The reason for it being such a short poll is because I want to know if you guys want the next chapter to be in Kana's POV or not. It will be the only chapter with first person POV if you vote yes.**

Character questions answered

Zuko and Kana:... Did you like the kiss?

_Zuko: That's none of your business!_

_Kana: (Looks at Zuko with a quirked eyebrow) I was too surprised to think about it. _


	25. Chapter 4: Destiny in the Swamp

**Legal necessities: **The Equalists said that they wouldn't let me own this.

Chapter 4: Destiny in the Swamp

We sat there under the hot Earth Kingdom sun, oblivious people strolling by without a – meaningful – care in the world. It made me sick that so many people had nothing better to do other than mill around a market, but I guess even in war life goes on. Life always continues.

As a vendor pushed along a cart full of masks, a flash of blue, and a white tusk caught my attention. "Spare a few coins for a weary traveler?" Iroh asked, snapping me out of my momentary trance. I watched as a man dropped a few copper coins in his hat, making him smile.

"This is humiliating," Zuko hissed to his uncle, "we're royalty, they should be giving us whatever we want!" In a flash, I quickly silenced him with a thwak to the head.

"These people are showing kindness to three robbed travelers," I snapped, "be grateful." He growled at me, but Iroh just nodded his head in agreement with a chuckle. I stuck my tongue at him smugly as he rolled his eyes, making my lips pick up in amusement. It seems that we had gotten along better since we were 'engaged.'

"Spare a coin for a hungry old man?" Iroh asked in a weak voice.

"Aww," a young woman cooed, producing a coin from her sleeve and placing it in his hat. "Here you go."

"The coin is appreciated, but not as much as your smile." The young woman's eyes met mine, and we shared a giggle, Zuko slapping his forehead in a Sokka like fashion. As she walked away, a man with broad swords wondered by us, and stopped.

"How about some entertainment… in exchange for a gold piece?" the man said with a cruel smile.

"I'm sorry, sir. But we're not performers." I responded politely. Hastily Iroh placed his hat down, standing up quickly.

"Not professional, anyways." He grinned, and clasping his hands together, he began to sing. "It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se, but the girls in the city they look sooo prett-ay!

"Come on, we're talking about a gold piece here, let's see some action!" the man roared, whipping out his broad swords, causing my eyes to freeze into glaciers. "Dance!"

The moment he went to swing a blade down, I uncorked my water skin, and shot out a jet of water to encase his hands in ice. Suddenly, everyone who hadn't been paying attention was. I felt all of their eyes on me, and pulled the sparkling ice back into the water skin. "I think you should go."

The man just stared at me dumbfounded before his face contorted into anger, and he attempted to storm away. Unfortunately for him, another – larger – man stopped him, and starred down at him with disgust. "I believe you promised the lady a gold coin for some entertainment. And that was quite entertaining, wouldn't you say?" he asked, some nodding, others just looking on.

"The man with broad swords just snarled, but dropped the gold coin into Iroh's hat, none-the-less. As he stormed away, I smiled at the man who had helped us, "Thank you." I said.

"No problem little lady, men like that need to be taught a lesson every once in a while." He beamed, making me laugh as I placed a gentle hand on his arm in thanks.

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I turned a blind eye to The Blue Spirit mask and swords. I had determined it would be payment for when he saved me; I had saved him as well, but he had done much more to rescue me – even if it was for his own agenda – than I had to save him. So I turned a blind eye to The Blue Spirit mask and swords.

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We were walking down the road when I saw it, a flash of red in the trees. My heart sped up, adrenaline warming my blood and muscles as I drifted closer to Zuko. Carefully, I slid my hand into his, making him jump. I squeezed tightly when he tried to pull away in surprise, flicking my eyes towards the woods.

His gaze sharpened when he glanced back at me, and I ducked my head in a nod, as if embarrassed. "Uncle, don't you think these trees are wonderful," he asked suddenly, keeping my hand in his, "especially in the fall when they're red."

"Yes, but my favorite time of the year to watch leaves is when they turn gold." Iroh responded smoothly, allowing me to relax. Fire Nation colors, he'd noticed them too. We all shared a look between us, then moved. I tore from Zuko's grip, mounting the Ostrich Horse in a matter of seconds, pulling Zuko up, who quickly did the same to his uncle.

A blast of fire shot out from the trees at the spot we'd all been standing at moments before. Two Komodo Rhino's burst from the forest behind us to give chase, but the beasts the Fire Nation rode were for strength, not speed.

We left them easily in our dust, but in a matter of minutes our warhorse began to slow, he wasn't meant to carry so much weight! My eyes caught on the corner of the trail a hundred yards away, yet I wasn't focused so much on the turn, but rather on the forest. _No, the swamp_.

If we could get to the swamp, than we' be safe from everything, I knew it. My hands slackened, eyes drifting lazily halfway shut. There was a light throbbing at the base of my skull – though it wasn't at all unpleasant – as quite voices whispered in my ears. _Let us show you the truth._

"Kana, what are you doing?" someone shouted, snapping me out of my stupor as the Ostrich Horse rammed past the trees, and into a marshy terrain. I tugged at the reigns, but he just kept running with renewed vigor, as if the swamp had given his strength back. It took five minutes of jerking and pulling to finally get the beast to stop, and when I did, Zuko immediately began to snap at me.

"What's wrong with you? Why would you bring us into this spirit forsaken place?"

"I didn't mean to!" I shouted back viciously, "I just thought it's be a good idea!"

"In what way was this a good idea?" he scoffed, making my cheeks flush in anger.

"Enough!" Iroh roared, causing our mouths to drop open in surprise, "If one does not wish to sink their own ship, then they must be united, here we have only each other to rely on, so there will be no bickering between the two of you!"

"Yes, Uncle." We both muttered, sounding like scolded children, which in a sense, we were.

"Ba Sing Se is north of here," I said changing the subject, and lept from the Ostrich Horse into the calf deep water. "If we use this little pin and leaf, we should be able to tell what direction to travel in." Crouching on my haunches, I place the pin on the leaf, both on top of the water, and watched as it twisted to the right. Or in other words, North.

"Very resourceful, Kana." Iroh grinned in approval.

"We need to head out," I said tossing a triumphant smirk at Zuko, "you two can stay on the horse, I know how much Firebenders are afraid of the water."

"If I can jump into an ocean to save your life, than I can handle walking in a swamp." He snapped, dismounting. I hid a smile of delight, it had been easier than I'd thought to get him off the beast. I hid a chuckle in a cough, I loved to mess with them.

"Well I'm staying on!" Iroh chuckled, "I prefer _not_ to get my socks wet."

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One thing I admired about Zuko is he never complained. We had been walking for a few hours – a regular thing as of late – but what should have been a major discomfort, seemed nothing more than a spider-fly to him. It was admiral – if not stubborn – that he didn't ask for help, even knowing I could do things better and faster than he could.

Yet he kept tromping on, ripping and tearing anything that got in his way, instead of being sensible. It made me wince when he would yank the vines from our path violently enough to break them, but I didn't say anything. He was already in a grumpy mood; he's probably start using fire to dispose of obstacles, just to urk me.

So we walked, and walked, until I suddenly felt a tingle on my skin, making a sigh escape my lips. "It's a full moon tonight," I murmured, glancing at the darkening swamp. "We should find somewhere dry to camp." My two companions nodded in agreement, and we continued on a little further until reaching a giant slab of dry land, that was very possibly a giant root.

We quickly settled down for the night, Zuko starting a fire, and Iroh pulling out some food for dinner. We were all relatively quiet as the sun went down, taking with it any light that seeped through the thick foliage of the swamp.

We were all rather tired – except for maybe Iroh – because of how far, and fast we had traveled. It would take us awhile to get out of this swamp, I was sure, but it would at least keep us safe from anyone trying to hunt us. Like Azula. Or the Fire Nation. Or the Earth Kingdom. Or bounty hunters. Or dutiful citizens.

My mood soured at the turn my thoughts had taken, that was too many or's for me. Thinking about the predicament we were in, made my eyelids droop in exhaustion. It reminded me that I should have left these two a long time ago, and that just gave me a headache.

I plopped down; not even bothering to say good night to Zuko or Iroh, even though I knew it was rude.

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_It felt as if something was pressing down on me. Trying to crush me, and tear the air from my lungs. It was overwhelming, to much of something, but I didn't know what! I couldn't escape, it was everywhere, it was crawling up my leg! Encasing my entire body, and squeezing, squeezing, squeezing. I didn't understand how I didn't pop._

Suddenly there was a sudden yanking sensation on my entire body, and I could practically hear the bending of my ribs as they were squashed. My eyes snapped open, and I screamed. I was blind.

I don't know how far I allowed myself to be pulled by whatever had taken me, my mind blanketed by the fact I couldn't see anything but swirling colors. It was only when I felt water cut off my air supply that everything exploded, literally. Even though I couldn't see it, I could feel ice shards burst from everywhere, making a spiked dome.

Whatever had been wrapped around me went limp, and I rolled choking onto my hands and knees, the ice dropping back into water. Radiating blotches of color were the only things that I could see. Shining blue, glowing green, misty white, and pulsing red. I raised my shaking hands in front of my face, different shades of scarlet shifting around lazily, were I was certain, my skin should be.

I let them fall back down, and felt the splash of water against my skin, the blue slightly coating red. Realization dawned on me, and frantically I pulled up a bit of green color, and shifted it between my fingers. _Plants._ I splashed in the blue. _Water._ I felt the red. _Blood._ And I took a deep breath, feeling moisture coat the inside of my mouth. _Mist._

This was all water! The energies of different forms of water! My eyes shifted around, and suddenly I could see clearer. The slight rippling, swirling, rushing, all of it I could see, I could feel… the moon. And then it hit me again; I wasn't blind, I was seeing through my element. The pure power of the moon, mixed with the power of the swamp had tripled my own, letting me see through the eyes of a water spirit.

My muscles relaxed, and it became the most beautiful thing I had ever seen or felt, I _was_ the water. So when I rose to my feet, wobbling from the strangeness of a different sight, I wasn't worried. I wanted to stay where I was and just revel in this new bending experience, but I knew I couldn't. I wouldn't be effective like this. I wouldn't be able to find my way back to Zuko and Iroh.

I took a deep breath, the moonbeams filling me with a soft power that had the strength to move the ocean. I found the edges of that power, and tried to fold it inward, but it wouldn't budge. I tried again, but the results were the same. The moon was keeping me strong.

A spark of anger lit in my belly, and suddenly my vision wavered almost back to normal. I realized it was that flickering flame that resided in my body, a gentle reminder that it was there. My legs shifted into their Firebending stance, and I took another deep breath, this time focusing on stoking the flame.

The tiny sun that lived in every Firebender rose – if just slightly – and even with the throbbing moon on my skin, it freed me from the night. The colors faded, and everything was back to (almost) normal, there was just a slight tinge of bright color on everything. Or that was what I thought until I saw them. Two people ran side by side along the tree branches, disappearing into the foliage. I stood there stupefied, before reacting.

"Hey!" I shouted, dashing after them, but I only heard a childish laughter echo back at me. "Stop, where'd you go?"

Another laugh sounded, this one different from the first, and a girl who looked as if she were Katara's age darted in front of me. I caught sight of her Fire Nation tunic, brown curly hair, and bright gray eyes, then she disappeared, me hot on her trail. I don't know how long I ran after these two girls, just that the moon kept me strong enough to never stop.

Finally a bought of luck brought all three of us to a clearing, and they had their heads between their knees as they breathed hard, trying to get their breath back. My own lungs were on fire, but it appeared my will was stronger than theirs, so I let out a small victory shout.

Dashing forward as fast as I could, I reached out to grab the shorter of the two girls, the one with black hair and moss green eyes who wore a white dress. But right as I touched her shoulder they all faded away, leaving only a dead stump in my hand. Confusedly, my head whipped back and forth searching for them, but my eyes caught on something else instead.

A baby Otter-penguin. The color drained from my face as it stared at me, and I stared right back it. It flapped its wings at me, making me recoil. A black diamond sat squarely on its side, a diamond that shouldn't exist any more! The last time I had seen a penguin with that marking was a hundred years ago!

_Father had gone to business, and Yue was assigned the task of looking after me. At the time I was but five, and she was seven. We were at the healing huts, and my sister was so busy making new friends that she ignored me. I was so bored that I slipped away from all of them, healing came easily to me, missing a day wouldn't hurt._

I stared down at the Otter-penguin for another second before running as fast as I could. A root snagged on my foot, and I went down, the swamp water encasing me. I rose back up, a hand sticking in my face. I glanced up and there she was. My sister.

_I walked away from all of the people, and out of the village, into the frozen tundra. As I tottered about I found the cutest little thing that could exist for a five year old. A baby Otter-penguin. I wanted to pet the little animal, but it leaned back when I reached out to touch it, spreading its wings to show a diamond._

I looked up at her dumbfounded, unable to speak as she just smiled kindly down at me. Without warning my mother and grandmother appeared behind her, the same gentle smile on their faces.

_The little bird turned around and began to waddle away, making me shout. "Hey! Don't leave, play with me penguin!" it continued on its way and I took stumbling steps forward trying to reach it. "Hey!"_

I rubbed my eyes with my fists, and when I looked back up, they were gone. All of them had disappeared, and I didn't know if I was happy about it or not. I blinked back the tears that were burning the back of my eyes, and got back to my feet. It was just a illusion.

_As I chased after the baby Otter-penguin, I was so happy, I wanted to share it with my sister. "Yue, looky at what I found! Yue?" I called, but she was nowhere to be found, I had forgotten I had left her at the healing huts. The only ones that are around me were the Otter-penguins._

I continued forward, a little more warily. I could swear that in the corner of my vision I saw flashes of blue cloth, but I ignored them. I wouldn't be fooled by an illusion! But right as I thought that, a crack formed in my heart. "Hariti?"

_The big Otter-penguins were curious about the human child, so they began to crowd around me. When they got close enough, they started to rub their feathery cheeks against my own, but I was so frightened, I couldn't move! They were bigger than me, and I couldn't move, they were crushing me!_

My lips trembled as I stared ahead of me at the woman that I had spent the most important three years of my life with. She looked as she always had. Curly brown hair, and gray eyes, her features were rather stern, but still kind. A sob broke through my lips as I stumbled forward, hand reaching out. But she disappeared.

_"Kana!" I felt a tug on my hood pull me back, and two arms wrap around me defensively. Yue had come and found me, she came for me! "Don't touch my baby sister!" she shouted at the on looking Otter-penguins._

My knees collapsed underneath me when she left, and I covered my face with wet hands, allowing tears to gather in my palms. They were all gone, everyone and everything! I couldn't stand it, I shouldn't be here, alive, when they were all dead.

_"Don't cry, Kana," Yue said, voice quivering slightly, "I won't leave you! Even if they eat me, I won't leave you!" she shouted at the watching birds, who hearing her voice, began to waddle forward, towards us._

Suddenly, a warm hand was on my shoulder, and I jerked in surprise. Glancing up, I saw someone who I'd never met before, it was a boy. He had strong features, and black hair that was put up in a topknot, I had absolutely no idea who he was.

_Yue's chin bumped into mine as sudden pressure pushed down on her head. She gasped, and looked behind us, me following her lead, and tears sprang to her eyes, "Papa?"_

"So sad." He whispered, crouching down on his haunches to look me in the eyes. "Someone so pretty shouldn't cry. Especially when their goal is so close." He said gesturing in front of us.

_Our father peered down at us with a warm, yet amused smile. He immediately saw our tears, and laughed, stomping around to scare away the Otter-penguins. He came back when they had all scattered, holding his arms out wide so we could crowd into them, which we promptly did._

"Wha-" I croaked, making his smile deepen. He took me by the arm, and pulled me to my feet, pointing at the tree line again. I glanced at it, and when I turned to look at him in curiosity he was gone like everyone else.

_Dad picked me up in his arms, cradling me in one arm against his chest, and gave my sister his hand to hold. "You did a good job protecting your little sister, Yue. I'm very proud of you."_

I sucked in a deep breath, and started forward at the fastest pace I could get to. Whoever that man was, he said my destination was close by, and if that meant I didn't see any more people, than that's where I would be heading.

_"Thank you daddy!" Yue said happily, "I've decided to always look after Kana, because she's my baby sister, and I love her!"_

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I kept walking, even when my legs were cramping with pain. I looked up at a mound of earth ahead of me, and slouched down in defeat. Surely I could rest for a moment. Just as I made up my mind to do just that, I saw the man that hold told me where to go. Anger suddenly flared in my stomach, and my jaw clenched in fury as I ran up the small hill.

"Who are you?" I screamed in determination, charging him.

He turned, but it wasn't the man with the topknot, it was Zuko. I realized too late that it wasn't who I thought it was, and ran right into him, knocking him off the hill. He cried out as we went rolling down. I manage to see Iroh and the Ostrich Horse just as we reached the bottom of the hill, but the momentum made us knock him down anyways. We all landed in a pile at the bottom of a tree root, the warhorse peering down at us blankly.

"What do you guys think you're doing?" Zuko snarled, getting to his feet. "I've been looking all over for you!"

"Well, I've been wandering around looking for you two." Iroh responded.

"Right… I kind of forgot about you guys while chasing some people." I said, a little guilty.

"What?" Zuko shouted, "We were looking for you all night, and you were chasing after imaginary people?"

"I didn't know they were imaginary!" I yelled back, with a growl.

"I think we all need to take a breath, and figure out where we are." Iroh said, stepping between the two of us, and glancing about as if looking for something.

"It's the heart of the swamp, it must have called us here." I murmured, staring up at the largest tree I had ever seen.

"The swamp couldn't have called us here, it's nothing but a bunch of vines and water!" Zuko snapped, crossing his arms in distaste.

"The swamp is mystical, it's sacred." A fat, leaf-clad man said, appearing from the trees. All three of us jumped in surprise, immediately sliding into our bending stances.

"Who are you?" I growled.

"I protect the swamp from people who want to hurt it, but for now, I'm helping three lost travelers who have all been called by the beat of the swamps heart. Follow me." He said, walking away. We all glanced at each other, then followed him without a word, still on the defensive. He led us up the giant roots, taking as to the base of the tree.

"I reached enlightenment right here under the banion grove tree." He said, sitting. "I hear it callin' me, just like you did. See, this whole swamp is actually just one tree spread out over miles... Branches spread and sink and take root and then spread some more - one big living organism, just like the entire world."

"I get the tree, but the entire world?" I said skeptically.

"Sure. You think you're any different from me? Or your friends? Or this tree? If you listen hard enough you can hear every living thing breathing together, you can feel everything growing. We're all livin' together, even if most folks don't act like it." I glanced at Zuko as he said that, and caught him staring at me as well, causing both of us to look away at the same time, blushing. "We all have the same roots, and we are all branches of the same tree."

"But what did my visions mean?"

"In the swamp we see visions of people we've lost, people we loved... folks we think are gone. But the swamp tells us they're not. We're still connected to'em. Time is an illusion, and so is death. An old destiny, making way for the new."

"But what about the people I didn't know? There were four of them!"

"You're the Avatar, you tell me." He said, making all of us recoil.

"How do you know that?" I hissed, eyes narrowing.

"Colors." He chuckled, "You are a rainbow of colors." My two companions looked at each other in confusion, but I just relaxed, I knew about the colors, so I thought about what he had said.

"Old destiny, making way for the new... so, they're... people I will meet?" The man grinned at me while winking, making me smile slightly.

"This is all useless nonsense, we need to get out of this swamp, not talk about people who're gone, and people we might never know!" Zuko snapped, and the man laughed.

"I think I can help you get out of here!" the man laughed, "I got some friends – Due and Tho – that can get you across the rest of the swamp in no time."

**Wow, another long chapter, haha! Did you guys like it, because I hope you did! I also hope you all liked Kana's POV. This should be the only one in the entire series, so love it. Give me your feed back on Kana's flash back, did it make you think any differently about her father?**

**Also, I was searching my mind for what I could get all of you for the holiday season, and I found it! I will be posting a one shot with any pairing (with Kana) you want on the 24th. So I'm starting up a poll of who you want the one shot to be about. I suggest you vote on this one non-voters, if you end up with a gift you don't want, it will be all your fault :D**

Character questions answered

What did you all think of your cover names?

**Zuko:** …

**Iroh:** …

**Kana:** _I loved them! Don't you guys just love them? No? Well too bad, it's to late to change them, because I won't let you! (Bursts into laughter)_


	26. Chapter 5: Tales of the Bei Fong Family

**Legal necessities: **Soooooo… I don't own this, huh? Or do I?

Chapter 5: Tales of the Beifong Family

Aang was incredibly twitchy. After three weeks of waiting at the North Pole, helping rebuild, and letting Katara finish her Waterbender training, they were finally leaving. He couldn't believe that he had allowed everyone to convince him to stay here instead of chasing after Kana.

"Katara, I want you to have this." Master Pakku said, holding out an amulet, showing that it was a triangle with a wave-shaped pattern of blue colors with a crescent moon on the top. "This amulet contains water from the Spirit Oasis. The water has unique properties. Don't lose it." He finished, face softening.

"Thank you." Katara responded respectfully, with a bow, and embraced him before walking away. Aang took her spot, staring up at the Master Waterbender.

"Aang, these scrolls will help you master Waterbending, but remember, they're no substitute for a real teacher. Fly straight to the Earth Kingdom base to the east of here. General Fong will provide you with an escort to Omashu. There you'll be safe to begin your Earthbending training with King Bumi."

He nodded, then bowed, hopping quickly onto Appa with a determined look on his face. "Here I come, Kana." He murmured. "Appa! Yip, yip!"

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Kana paced in a cave, biting her lip nervously. Zuko had disappeared again, and she knew exactly why, maybe not where, but that wasn't important. What was important was that he was stealing, he was a thief, and there was no excuse for that! So when she saw him coming back to the cave, she halted her frantic movements, and waited.

"We need to talk." She said sternly, and he placed a basket of food on the ground, crossing his arms. She did the same.

"About what?" He snapped in aggravation.

"Where are you getting all of this stuff, Zuko?" she growled, motioning to the food.

"Do you not want to eat?"

"That isn't the point, what you're doing is wrong!" Kana let out an angry breath of air, rubbing her temples to cool down. "I don't understand why you're having such trouble adapting, there's honor in excepting your fate, and changing it in honest ways."

"There's no honor for me without the Avatar!" Zuko shouted, causing her to flinch back as if slapped. "And the irony of it is I already have the Avatar, but I can't bring her back because my twisted sense of _morality_, keeping me from doing so!"

"There is no honor in what you're doing!" she screamed back at him, "You're chasing a child around the world to deliver him to a man that will have him killed! That's the horrible reality of war!" Her voice softened when his face turned pale, "There is no honor, there is glory for when you capture him. There will only be victims. And the worst ones, are the people that don't realize it."

"Even – even if you did capture Aang, why would you want to go back to a family like that? You have Iroh and m-" she stopped, right before the words could come out.

"Iroh and who, Kana?" he asked quietly, staring at her.

"Iroh and me, okay?"

"You?"

"You deserve a good friend in your life." She murmured softly.

"We can't be friends." He croaked weakly, looking anywhere but at her. Kana just stared at him blankly, before sighing.

"I know." Zuko didn't say anything else, he just brushed past her, forgetting the basket of food.

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Kana walked up to the fire where her two companions sat, they had obviously just had a serious conversation, but that wasn't really her concern. "I'm leaving."

"What?" Iroh shouted, spitting out his tea, making her avert her eyes.

"We all knew this was going to happen eventually." She murmured.

"Yes, but why now?" he asked, and she glanced at Zuko who just stared down into a cup of tea.

"I just think this the appropriate time to part ways."

"Kana-"

"She's right." Zuko said suddenly. "We can't keep imagining that this isn't going to blow up in all of our faces. In fact, I think it's time we _all_ split up."

"I don't understand why you both want to leave." Iroh whispered, dejectedly.

"We no longer have anything to gain by traveling together. People have to find their own way." Zuko said without malice, but without hesitation either, as he stood up. He walked past Kana without looking at her, and she just let him. She glanced at Iroh who just slouched down in sadness before chasing after his nephew.

"Wait!" he grabbed the reigns of our Ostrich Horse and led him over to Zuko, who took them silently and mounted the animal. Kana leaned against the cave wall, just watching. As soon as Iroh disappeared back inside of the cave, she walked over to Zuko and he just stared down at her.

Silently she put a foot in the stirrup and rose up, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "Don't be afraid to make friends, Zuzu. Please, just try to be happy." With that, she stepped down and smacked the Ostrich Horse on the rump, making him speed away before he could say anything.

Kana just watched as he sped away, said farewell to Iroh, then left herself. She left without anything except the clothes on her back, Bumi's gift from a hundred years ago, and the water skin on her hip. Goodbyes were sad. Luckily she knew this wasn't goodbye. No, their journey had only begun.

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The sun was high up in the sky, just a little past noon, and Kana was absolutely exhausted. Her legs ached, so when she saw a shaded tree sitting beneath a cave, she plopped right under it with a contented sigh. Well, she was content until she realized that the rest allowed her to think, something she'd been avoiding since escaping Zuko in the first place.

So much had happened since she was freed from the ice, sometimes she thought it was just some weird dream, or delusion. She was delusional, that was for sure. She went from prisoner to willing companion to the prince of the Fire Nation, her enemy! She wanted to be his friend for spirits sake!

Kana let out a shout of rage, hands slamming into the ground, flames erupting from her fists. She let out a slew of curses that would shock a sailor, and patted out the two mini fires, but as soon as she was finished, her hands were covered in thick cuffs of rock.

She stared down at her hands dumbly, two – un-shoed – delicate feet coming into her line of site. "What are you doing here, _Firebender_?"

Kana raised her head, meeting the unseeing gaze of milky green eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. It was one of the girls she'd seen in the swamp! But she thought she was a Firebender – technically she was – which made her an enemy.

Letting her instincts take over, Kana braced her forearms on the ground, flipped over, and slammed her foot into the girls' chest. She went flying, knocking into a tree as flames burst from Kana's hands, freeing her from the rock cuffs. She stood, the other girl already on her feet, brows knit in anger.

"You're really gonna regret that!" she shouted, stomping the ground, and hurtling a giant bolder at Kana. Kana snarled, uncorking her water skin, and rushing forward. She sliced through the earth rushing towards her, and the girl hesitated just long enough to be tackled to the ground. The little Earthbending girl immediately began to thrash around quite viciously; she was a lot stronger than she looked.

"Could you stop for just one moment so we can talk?" Kana asked exasperated, and the girl stopped her wiggling to nod once.

"You're a Waterbender?" she asked.

"Yup." Kana replied.

"Who can Firebend?"

"Mhmm."

"Avatar?

"Yes, ma'ma."

"Well Miss. Avatar, think you could stop crushing me?" Kana laughed, rolling to her feet and offering a hand to the girl, who just ignored it.

"You're quite the little spit fire, aren't you?" she teased, earning a hard punch to the arm, which she reciprocated with a hard slap to the back, earning her a broad grin.

"Right back at ya, I'm Toph by the way."

"Kana."

"So what are you doing out here all by yourself, Miss. Avatar?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Ya, but I asked first." Toph said, making Kana grin.

"Nothing really, just traveling."

"Good, that means you have nothing to do, which means I can acquire your services." She smirked, pointing at Kana.

"What?" she asked dumbfounded.

"To put it simply, my parents aren't the brightest of people. And since you caused it, I think it's only fair that you be the one to explain why I'm so messy."

"You're the one who attacked me!" Kana exclaimed, astonished. Toph just raised her arms and shook her head in a 'sorry, can't help you,' manner.

"And who do you think they'll believe, Miss. Avatar?"

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"I'm trying to, but you're not making it easy." Kana crossed her arms with a scowl, starring at the blind girl with narrowed eyes.

"How about we make a deal," she said slowly, "I get you out of trouble, and you teach me Earthbending."

"Sorry no can do. I can barely get out of my house once a month, let alone enough to train someone Earthbending."

"Guess you're out of luck then, I hope when you get home your parents don't put an escort on you to make sure you don't get out again." She said, turning to walk away.

"Wait," Toph called, "I have an idea."

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Kana held Toph's hand as she walked towards the Beifong estate. She was dressed in Kyoshi's silk dress, and surprised at elegant it looked, but how battle ready it was. The fabric was incredibly durable, the sleeves protruding enough to allow fans to fit in them – but not enough to hinder one in a fight, and two very discreet slits along the legs – allowing movement when necessary. She could wear it as either a nobles casual wear, battle gear, or even at a fancy party if you used the hair ornaments.

So when Kana knocked on the door of the Beifong's, she seemed more or less like a girl from the noble lower ranks. She smiled sweetly at the servant who answered, and the moment he saw Toph clutching her hand, he ushered them in. He led them towards a sitting room, opened the door, then practically shoved them inside.

As Kana entered, she saw two people who were obviously the owners – and parents of the blind Earthbender – of the manor, as they were sitting on a platform. There was another person there, a boy.

She led Toph to a seat, and 'helped' her sit down, quickly following. She kept her head bowed in a sign of respect, but couldn't help glancing up at the boy that sat to the side of the Beifong's. he looked shockingly like Toph and her parents, black hair, green eyes – which were an incredibly sharp shade of green – and pale skin with narrowly defined features.

He caught her staring at him, and winked, causing Kana's jaw to tighten in annoyance. So he was one of _those_ boys, huh? That did not bode well for him. "You brought back our daughter," the older man began, Lao, Toph had told her. "thank you. May I ask what your name is… and how you came by her?" he asked, glancing at his daughters torn clothes.

"My name is Kana, I found your daughter wandering around the forest, I didn't think much of it at first, but then she fell over." She said placing a gentle hand on girls shoulder, "That's when I realized she was blind."

"And you helped her?" Toph's mother asked with a quirked brow.

"Of course!" Kana exclaimed sweetly, placing an eager hand to her chest, "I'd never leave someone who needed my help!"

"Perhaps it's time my cousin gets a nanny, Aunt Beifong." The green eyed boy said quietly.

"Overdue actually, "she responded demurely, "you can't keep wondering off dear, I think it'd be for the best if we hired you a caretaker."

"I don't mean to, mother. I'm just lonely." Toph said with a fake pout, her face suddenly brightening. "Could Kana be my nanny?"

"Yes," her father thought out loud, "she does seem to be of good breeding, and it is terribly convenient… you girl," he said glancing at Kana. "how would you like to be my daughters caretaker?"

"I don't know, "she said – seemingly – uncertainly, "I was just passing through, no arrangements have been made for me to stay here."

"We'd settle everything naturally," Lao replied, waving a hand dismissively, "you'd stay with us in a room adjoining Toph's, and of course be given a generous salary." She turned away from the man, glancing down at the girl who was beaming at her with a wide grin. She pretended to hesitate before smiling back at her, even if the girl couldn't see it, her parents certainly could.

"Okay," she said, looking back to the two adults, "I'd love to, every girl needs a friend."

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Kana just finished settling in when there was a knock on the door, and it slid open, revealing the boy from the swamp. "So what really happened to my cousin?"

"Exactly what I said." She responded evenly, making his eyes narrow.

"Toph doesn't _trip_. My aunt and uncle may be oblivious about her Earthbending abilities, but I'm not. So I ask again, what really happened?" Kana rolled his words around in his head, she could continue with the lie she made up, but Toph would probably just spill the beans anyways.

She shrugged opening her water skin, and bringing out a small orb of water to rest over a hand, then lit a small flame in the other. "And that's all you need to know." She said, with a wry smile at his dumbfound expression.

"Stop pestering my new student, Manny." Toph ordered, shoving past him.

"Manny? Kana asked with a raised brow. "Nice name."

"It's Meno, but you can call me whatever you want." Her smile turned predatory, and before he could even move, her hand shot out, grabbing his jaw, and bringing his face close to hers.

"How sweet." She purred, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Okay, okay, I get it. No touchy," he said, putting his hands up, "well, at least not yet." Kana just rolled her eyes, and pushed him out of her room, and slamming her door shut.

"Dang Water Mama, you got a pair of claws don't'cha?" Toph chortled.

"I though I was Ms. Avatar."

"Well I can't very well call you that _now_, can I? Besides, you're my nanny, your name might as well fit your job."

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Azula unceremoniously dumped a bouquet of black flowers onto a young acrobats dressing table. "What an exquisite performance! I can't wait to see how you'll top yourself tomorrow, Ty Lee."

"I'm sorry Azula, but unfortunately there won't be a show tomorrow."

"Really?" she asked, a smile tugging at her lips. "The universe has given strong hints that it's time for a career change." Ty Lee said, hanging up her tiara, "I want to join you on your mission."

Azula grinned, uncrossed her arms, and placed a hand on her friends shoulder. "We'll leave tomorrow morning when the sun rises." She said with a squeeze, before walking out of the tent. Ty Lee smiled, still feeling the pressure on her shoulder. Azula was strange; she never said she was sorry, but she would show it. _Apology accepted_, she thought untying her braid.

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It wasn't surprising how much Toph like Earth Rumble 6. She was a fighter, and she was good at it! The first week she had worked at the Beifong estate, Meno had dragged her to the arena, not bothering to tell her what for. She had been grouchy for every match, well, until the Blind Bandit came out.

Without hesitation, she had practically leapt from the safety of the upper stands, and into the front row. She stared so intently at Toph, that she didn't even notice when Meno snuck up behind her, allowing him to fling an arm around her shoulders. "Didn't I tell you you'd love this?"

Without a word, she pinched his side, making him jump away from her. "I think I'd just prefer to come at the end to watch some real fighting." She smirked

"But then we'd only be here for two minu-" Meno's words were cut off as a man was flung into the bleachers, right next to him. The crowd erupted into cheers as Toph raised her hands in victory, and Kana flung herself over the railing to meet the Blind Bandit as she left the arena. The girl pivoted as, a huge grinned on her face as she was engulfed in a hug.

"Woah, Water Mama, you're suppose to stay in the stands!" she laughed.

"Toph, you're amazing!" she exclaimed, "And you expected me to stay in the stands?"

"Of course not!" she chuckled, "You've got brass, you see a rule you don't like, you break it."

"Yes well, not all of them." Kana's smile turned grim, "Like the one where you're suppose to be clean? Where exactly is you're easily stainable white dress?"

"I might have accidentally left it in some dirt." Toph grinned impishly, making her groan.

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It had been two weeks since Kana had arrived at the Beifong estate, but it felt more like two months. Despite the fact her employment had been cooked up to fool Toph's parents into letting her stay, she took her job incredibly serious. Much to her young wards chagrin.

Since the day she started, Kana had made sure she was always clean, respectful, and demur in her parents' presence. But not so much out of their sight, as she was often the one to get her dirty. It came with learning to Earthbend, which she noted; Kyoshi's dress was specifically made for combat. She made a mental note to dye it blue.

But for now she would leave it as it was, she _was_ in the Earth Kingdom after all. Which Meno seemed adamant on reminding her every moment he could, if she wasn't with Toph, he was with her. A little annoying at first, but that was what he had been going for.

After the first few days of constant reminders of how a proper Earth Kingdom lady would act, she had gotten use to his pestering. So he had switched his tactics to being a shameless flirt. Given his good looks and high social status, it wasn't a surprise though. Spirits, it was expected! So when she, Toph, and Meno were alone, the two girls made a point on bullying him to some extent.

"What's up, Water Mama?" Toph asked, plopping down next to her.

"Not much, just thinking."

"About what?"

"How you and your cousin are such a pain." Kana laughed, quickly joined by her young friend.

"Hey, you signed on for it, remember? That whole 'teach me Earthbending' thing?"

"Ya," she grimaced, "Three days out of seven aren't bad, I guess. It's better than nothing."

"It's a lot more than time than before you came. Remember I could only get out once a month, and that was to do Earth Rumble."

"Yup, it's a wonder how my cous' could manage to become champ in one day." Meno said, walking up behind the two girls, and mussing their hair. Without looking, Kana grabbed his ankle, and yanked, pulling his foot out from under him. There was a quiet oomph, and when she looked back at him, he was laughing.

She sighed, and scooted over so he could sit up. "It hurts me deep that you keep rejecting me Kana." He said, holding his hand to his chest in exaggeration.

"Really?" she asked innocently, "I thought you'd be use to people rejecting you."

"Nope," he chuckled flinging an arm over her shoulder, "you're just one of a kind, Sweetheart." Kana just pinched his side, causing him to jump into the pond they were sitting out. Without a word, she swept him to the middle of it with a flick of the wrist.

"Ugh, if you didn't already like someone, I'd swear you had a crush on him." Toph snorted, angling her chin at her drifting cousin. Kana just stared at her blankly.

"I don't like anyone, Toph." She said perplexed, she really didn't.

"I might be blind, but I can see the signs. You might not like whoever it is now, but you will."

Kana just scoffed at her friend, "The day that happens is the day fire doesn't burn."

"So he's a Firebender, huh?" Toph snickered, "Guess that means he's hot."

"Yes I am," Meno said, pulling himself from the pond, "but the freezing tundra of your eyes make me desire to be cold." She just huffed, kicking him back into the water, and pushing him out to the middle again.

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She had never felt this way before. It was as if something was trying to rip away part of her soul! There was a searing pain in the middle of her chest, and her knees turned to jelly. Kana began to fall, and in that one second it was over. For one moment, she could see through Aang's eyes, and what she saw shocked her.

He was on trial for committing a murder, a trial that required Kyoshi's presence. But that was impossible! Kyoshi was part of _her_, just as Roku was part of _him_. But just as she thought that, a whisper went through her: _We are apart of each other_.

With that, she let go; she opened herself to everything. Memories, generations, burned within her, and Kana knew like she knew her heart beat, her blood flowed, her breath fogged in the snow. They were one. She let go of Kyoshi, and let her past become his as well.

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Toph Beifong could only remember one other time when she was truly afraid, and that was when she was lost in the cave before the Badger Moles came. But this easily beat that. A gust of wind filled with dust had made a tornado around Kana, and when it cleared, she was gone. Her disappearing wasn't what frightened her; it was who replaced her.

**_"I killed Chin the Conqueror.A horrible tyrant, Chin was expanding his army to all corners of the continent. When they came to the neck of the peninsula where we lived, he demanded our immediate surrender. I warned him that I would not sit passively and while he took our home, but he did not back down. On that day, we split from the mainland. I created Kyoshi Island so my people could be safe from invaders."_**

The woman's voice seemed to resonate an infinite amount of power, each syllable defined. Toph could feel the earth holding its breath in her presence, her root so embedded in the dirt that even if flying, she'd be as steady as a rock. She was amazing.

Another gust of wind encased the woman, and she was gone, but Kana was back. The Waterbender fell to her knees, and Toph pushed past her fear, and ran forward. She grabbed her arm, hefting the other girl up. Suddenly it made sense why she was such a good Earthbender, even with only a few days of training, she had been the most powerful woman in the world.

She didn't care. She trusted Kana. She knew she would never hurt her.

**So here's chapter five of book two! How do you guys think I managed Toph, I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to pull her off, but I think I did her justice. Anyways, you guys have voted, and you want your Christmas present to be a Zukana One Shot. Which by the way, I'm curious as to why, do you just love it that much, or did you hate the other pairings?**

**Also, my favorite Avatar is Kyoshi! I love that chick! If any of you know of a fanfic dedicated to her tell me, tell me right now! Okay, see you later with my One Shot. It'll be up on the twenty-fourth unless we all perish in the next six (american) hours.**

Character questions answered

What did you guys think of the guy telling you about the swamp?

Zuko: _He was weird_

Kana: _Not as weird as his friends, they wanted to eat our Ostrich Horse!_

Iroh: _I have to agree with Kana, those two were pretty strange._


	27. Chapter 6: The Blind Bandit

**Legal necessities: **My saying I don't own this is getting aggravating.

Chapter 6: The Blind Bandit

Aang was sitting at a store, listening to Sokka debate with himself about whether or not to get a pricey green bag. Everything seemed to be falling apart. Kana was gone, Omashu was gone, Bumi was gone. And when he was suppose to get that all back, they were gone. All he had now was hoping to see Kana again at Ba Sing Se, which didn't seem that likely. Ba Sing Se was _huge_.

"Come on, Aang." Katara said slightly annoyed, leaving the shop. Sokka started to follow them, but quickly returned to purchase the bag. As they were walking around a man approached them with a pamphlet.

"Psst, psst. Hey, you kids like earthbending? You like throwing rocks? Then check out Master Yu's Earthbending Academy." He hands a flyer to Aang, smiles, then leaves.

"There's a coupon on the back. The first lesson is free." He muttered.

"Maybe this Master Yu is your Earthbending teacher." Katara said looking at the pamphlet.

"No, my Earthbending teacher is in Omashu, where Kana is."

"Aang… your first priority has to be learning the four elements. You need a teacher now, and Omashu is still _very_ far away!"

"I don't care! We're going to Omashu to get me a teacher!"

"Kana would have wanted you to find a teacher first… I know it's hard for you to hear, but she would have put doing her duty to the world and finding a teacher above meeting you in Ba Sing Se." Katara murmured.

"No she would go to Ba Sing Se to find me! She promised she would never leave me!" Aang cried. Katara's face fell, and she engulfed her friend in a tight hug.

"And she won't… she just knows that becoming a fully realized Avatar is her first priority. Just like it's yours."

"Okay," he said, pulling away, and brushing tears from his eyes. "I guess I can check out the school."

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"Are you ready to kick some Earth Rumble butt?" Kana asked, a glint in her eye.

"Of course! You doubtin' my mad skills, Water Mama?" Toph snickered, taking her friends arm in her own.

"I never doubt your mad skills at getting dirty." She drawled, walking along the narrow tunnel Toph had made to get them to the stadium. She was even blinder than her friend in here, as she couldn't even see through her bending. But over the course of time she'd been with the Bei Fong family, she had grown to trust the two younger members.

Poppy and Lao were a different story. Kana had been able to learn a bit about them, and what she found she didn't necessarily care for. It wasn't the arranged marriage, the inherited wealth, or even the power they didn't deserve. It was that they required control every second of every day. It wouldn't be long before they did something drastic.

"Next The Boulder vs. Fire Nation Man!" Xin Fu's voice echoed loud, even in the dark tunnel.

"You're next, _Bandit_." Kana snickered at her short friend. "I should go find my seat. Don't hurt him to bad, Toph." She murmured softly, embracing her young charge.

"Ya, ya, Water Mama, don't be so over emotional." Toph snorted, swatting her away with a laugh.

"Whatever, I'll be in the first row as always." Kana said, with a punch to The Blind Bandit's shoulder.

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"Your winner, and still the champion, The Blind Bandit!"

"How did she do that?" Katara asked with wide eyes.

"She waited… and listened."

"To make things a little more interesting, I'm offering up this sack of gold pieces who can defeat The Blind Bandit! What no takers?"

"I will!" Aang shouted, walking up the stairs to the arena.

"Do people really want to see two little girls fighting out here?" the Bandit sneered, making the audience throw out their own jeers.

"Listen, I don't really want to fight you. I want to talk to you."

Aang stepped forward, and watched as The Blind Bandit smiled when his foot hit the ground. She stomped the earth with her foot, a shock wave traveling across the stadium causing a large rock to grow out of the ground underneath Aang, launching him into the air. He drifted in the air before landing softly on the ground behind her. The Blind Bandit turns around with an upset expression on her face, practically staring at him.

"Somebody's a little light on their feet, what's your fighting name, The Fancy Dancer?" Aang just smiled, and shrugged his shoulders. He had to admit her barbs were pretty good. Another rock erupted from the ground launching him into the air again.

"Where'd you go?" He heard the girl grumble, waiting. He moved to land behind her once more, but as he did, he heard a voice that was louder than the others.

"Come on you can do it, Bandit!" He looked up and saw an Earth Nation girl shouting with her hands cupped over her mouth to make it louder. As soon as his feet touched the dirt, he realized she has blue eyes. He knew only one girl with eyes that color. Right before he could shout at her, a boulder smacked into his chest, sending him crashing into the stands.

"And The Blind Bandit remains the undefeated champion!" Xin Fu shouted, Katara and Sokka helping Aang get back to his feet. He jumped back to his feet as soon as he could stand, only to see Kana disappear into the wall next to the Blind Bandit.

"No." he whispered.

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"Well, a flying boar is the symbol of the Bei Fong family. They're the richest people in town, probably the whole world."

"Ya, but they don't have a daughter or a servant like that."

"Flying boar is good enough for me." Aang said determinedly. "Let's go."

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"I'm telling you, The Boulder was standing right there. I saw the kid strike, but the boy didn't move out of the way like before." The Boulder hissed, "The kid just let The Blind Bandit hit him. He must have took a dive and split the money with her."

"Nobody cheats Xin Fu."

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"That's the flying- boar from my vision," Aang said, "Come on!"

Aang Airbent himself over the wall, then Sokka and Katara climbed over. They ran across some open grass, then skid behind a bush. Aang's head pokes out below, then Katara's on top of his, then Sokka's on top. Suddenly a huge surge of earth threw them all into the air. All of them yelled as they fell and land unceremoniously, Aang looked up, only to see the Bandit, now in a fancy gown.

"What are you doing here, Twinkle Toes?" she asked, making him shake his head. She looked exactly like in the vision, but there were more important things.

"Where's Kana?" he asked. The girl whipped her head around, in surprise, eyes wide.

"How do you know about Kana?" she snapped, staring at him with blind eyes.

"She's my friend, we were suppose to learn Earthbending together."

"Sorry Twinkle Toes, but she's my student, and I don't plan on training you too."

"That's not what I'm saying, I want to talk to her so we can go to Ba Sing Se together."

"What? No!" the girl yelled, her voice filled with anger. "Get out of here, or I'll call the guards!"

" But-"

"Guards, guards help!" she shouted in a dainty tone. Aang was determined to just stand there until she let him see Kana, but Katara just pulled him over the wall as two soldiers rushed into the courtyard.

"Toph, what happened?" one asked.

"I thought I heard someone, I got scared."

"You know your father doesn't want you out here without supervision, Toph. Where's Kana?"

"Inside, will you take me to her?"

"Of course." The guard murmured gently, giving his arm to 'the helpless blind girl.' Aang just watched with narrow eyes, a grin slowly spreading across his features before disappearing behind the wall.

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Kana sat next to Toph, who seemed a little more disgruntled than usual, probably because they were meeting with her 'teacher', Yu to discuss her bending. Meno had left to Ba Sing Se that morning, so the room seemed a little empty. "I'm pleased to hear Toph's private lessons are going well, but I wanted to make sure she isn't trying anything to difficult."

"Absolutely not. I'm keeping her at beginner levels. Basic forms and breathing exercises only."

"Very good."

"She is doing well in her training, sir." Kana said with a tiny smile. "Do you think it would be possible to add in another slightly more difficult, but not dangerous form?" Lao studied her for a moment before glancing at Yu, who nodded. His head moved up and down once, causing her lips to perk upward slightly.

"Excuse me sir, but you have a visitor."

"Who thinks they are so important they can just come to my home unannounced?" Lao snapped angrily.

"The… The Avatar, sir." Kana's eyes grew large, her breath catching in her throat. She stared at the servant who had brought the news, silence engulfing the entire room. She barely realized Toph was scowling at the floor, and realized she had known he was here. Anger bubbled in her stomach, but she shoved it down just as Hariti had taught her.

"Would you like me to greet our guest?" She asked with a bright smile. Lao hesitated before nodding.

"If you would lead them to the waiting room and entertain them, dinner should be finished in ten minutes." Kana bowed before rising, quickly – but not un-lady like – rushing to the front door. She ripped it open, and before she could even see anything, she felt three sets of arms clutch at her. One, she relaxed into their embrace, two, she took a deep breath, three, she pulled away.

"Kana, I'm so glad we found you!" Aang exclaimed before she slapped her hand over his mouth.

"Not here." She whispered. "It is wonderful to meet you three, please, follow me." They all stared at her dumbfounded, but she just moved to the side, allowing them all inside the estate. She led them to the waiting room, and sat them down.

"We only have a few minutes," Kana hissed quickly, "I am a servant to the Bei Fong family, they do not know that I am the Avatar, and I plan to keep it that way. Their daughter – Toph – is teaching me Earthbending, but they don't know about her strength, and _she_ plans to keep it that way."

"What are you doing here Kana, why aren't you going to Ba Sing Se?" Aang hissed, suddenly angry.

"I planned on going… eventually. But I had to stay here! Toph is the most amazing Earthbender I've ever seen, and she agreed to teach me! I couldn't let this opportunity go to waste."

"You promised you wouldn't leave me!" he shouted, making her face fall. Without warning, she pulled him into a hug, resting her head on top of his.

"And I never will. Always know I'll find you, no matter how long it takes." Kana grabbed his hand, letting their two bracelets click together as a perfect yin and yang. "I promised."

As soon as she backed away from Aang, a servant entered the room, announcing that dinner was done. She nodded to him, and led the way to the dinning hall without a word. She directed them towards where they could sit, and took her own place next to Toph. Everyone was silent when the food was being served until Toph got hot soup. Kana had slapped her knee beneath the table when she Earthbent Aang, that wasn't lady like, nor was it a smart thing to do at the time.

She drew the line when she had soup sneezed all over her. Without being rude, Kana insisted that the Avatar and his friends were tired from their travels, and should go to the guest room to sleep. She took them, and as soon as there were no servants around to see or hear, she took Aang's ear into her fingers, and gave it a sharp tug.

"What part of 'her parents don't know' did you not understand?"

"Oh come on Water Mama, lay off." Toph said with a snicker. "Yo Twinkle Toes, I wanna talk to you."

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"Even though I was born blind, I've never had a problem seeing." Toph murmured, balancing along the guardrail of the bridge she and Aang were crossing. "I see with Earthbending. It's kind of like seeing with my feet. I can feel the vibrations in the earth, and I can see where everything is. You, that tree, even those ants."

"That's amazing, you're amazing!" Aang exclaimed.

"My parents don't understand, they've always treated me like I was helpless. It's even why they hired Kana to look after me."

"Why didn't you want me to talk to her, were you afraid she would leave?"

"Ya. She's the only one that hasn't treated me like I'm some damsel in distress. She's protective, but in a good way."

"I know the feeling." Aang laughed, rubbing the back of his neck in amuzement. "I always feel better when she's around, like I can depend on her if I need to, but not if I don't have to."

"Yup, that's just who she is, and now that you're here, she's gonna leave." Toph sighed.

"If you're so unhappy here, why don't you came with us? Kana would love to have you tag along, and I would love to learn Earthbending from you."

"I don't know, Aang. They're my parents."

"It's not like you'd be leaving them forever, just taking hold of your own destiny." Toph turned her face up to look at him with a slight frown, she opened her mouth to speak, but before she could her face tensed in consentration.

"We're being ambushed!"

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"Toph, there's too many of them. We need an earthbender. We need you!" Katara pleaded, causing Lao to turn around in anger.

"My daughter is blind, she is blind, and tiny, and fragile," Toph closed her eyes, "she can't help you." She snatched her hand back from her fathers, cradling it as if burned.

"Yes. I can."

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"Dad, I know it's hard for you to see me this way, but the obedient little helpless blind girl that you think I am just isn't me. I love fighting. I love being an earthbender. And I'm really, really good at it. I know I've kept my life secret from you, but you were keeping me secret from the whole world. You were doing it to protect me. But I'm twelve years old and I've only had a single real friend. So now that you see who I really am, I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me."

"Of course it doesn't change the way I feel about you, Toph. It's made me realize something."

"It has?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes. I've let you have far to much freedom. From now on, you'll be guarded twenty-four hours a day."

"But sir, I could just be next to her all day, there isn't a reason add the guards." Kana exclaimed.

"You are a good girl, Kana, but not even you can keep watch forever. My mind is made up. Please escort the Avatar and his friends from my home, they are no longer welcome here." Two men moved behind Aang and the others, and she wrapped her arms around Toph in a disappointed hug.

"I'm sorry, Toph." He whispered, looking over his shoulder.

"I am too. Goodbye, Aang." She murmured, a single tear falling down her cheek.

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"Don't worry, we'll find you a teacher. There are plenty of amazing Earthbenders." Katara reassured Aang, but he just looked away.

"Not like her." He said mournfully. Suddenly there was a rustling from the bushes, and Toph and Kana run through them breathing heavily making Aang whip around to stare at them in wonder. "Toph, Kana! What are you doing here?"

"I managed to change Lao's mind," Kana exclaimed, "he said Toph was free to travel the world so long as I went with her." Katara and Sokka glance at each other before grinning slyly.

"Then we better get going before he changes his mind again." Sokka said with a warm smile.

"Good idea." Toph grinned, allowing Aang to pull her up onto Appa, Kana following quickly. The giant bison immediately jumped up into the air, soaring away on a gust of wind. Everyone rested against the saddle, content little smiles placed over their faces. Kana stared at the shining full moon, and opened her mouth to sing.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_  
_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_  
_Lay down your head and close your sleepy eyes_  
_And when again they open the sun will rise_

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_  
_Here the daisies guard you from all harm_  
_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_  
_Here is the place where I love you_

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_  
_A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_  
_Forget your woes and let your troubles lay_  
_And when again it's morning they'll wash away_

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_  
_Here the daisies guard you from all harm_  
_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_  
_Here is the place where I love you_

**And here is the next chapter! Toph has been officially introduced to the Gaang, and we have the song for this book, which again is by Adriana. The song is Rue's Lullaby (Hunger Games Fan Arrangement) So enjoy, listen to that song, and for anyone that didn't know, the one shot is up along with two others.**

****Character Questions Answered

What's your first impression of Toph, Kana- _Oh spirits, I'm being attacked._


	28. Chapter 7: Zuko Alone

**Legal necessities: **I just bought the rights to ATLA… I wish that wasn't a lie.

Chapter 7: Zuko Alone

A voice had told him not to rob those people. A quiet, yet somehow firm, no argument voice. It had been full of disgust that put a festering pit in his stomach, a stomach that direly need the food and water, as he was out. But all he could see is the woman's swollen belly, and here that smooth voice.

_What you're doing is wrong! There's no honor in what you're doing!_

He had done what his conscious told him was right, and was proud of that fact, but now he could barely keep his eyes open. There was a town nearby, but it seemed too far away. The sun felt _cold_ on his skin. He couldn't see straight, he could faintly recognize that it was because he was falling.

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"He has an intense fever, he's burning up." A woman murmured gently, brushing his forehead with a cloth. He didn't recognize who it was, but that was the least thing on his mind.

"W-water." He croaked, and only seconds later felt a cup on his lips.

"This has herbs in it that will give you vital nutrients, drink it all." Zuko heard the woman say, he didn't need to be told twice.

"Is he going to be alright, mom?" a boy asked, out of sight.

"It depends, Lee. This fever should pass, but only if he fights it. And right now it doesn't look as if he is."

"Why not?"

"I don't know honey, you can ask him if he wakes up again."

"If?"

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_He had been here before, only once, but he remembered. It was all the same, an island made of ice and fire, it was too hot for the cliffs to be made of frozen water, but it seemed this place defied logic. He felt that ache of contentment begin to seep in, but shoved it away hard. Last time he lost himself in here, he woke next to Kana._

_He pushed that thought away too, moving his limbs along faster, and before he knew it, he found what he'd been looking for. What he'd been looking for the last time he was here. Pillars stretched high into the sky; so far he couldn't see them, standing in front of two oak doors._

_He felt his stomach tingle with dread as he approached, putting both hands on the smooth wood. He took in a deep breath, and swung them forward, the scent of burning ice lilies wafting him in the face. It was so potent that if the smell was any thicker it would cause him to gag._

_He was so focused on this, that he didn't realize he wasn't alone until he caught sight of movement in the corner of his eye. His head snapped up, as his jaw fell open. A woman moved in a pool of glowing water, two crystals adorning each eye, red and blue by one, yellow and green by the other. But it wasn't just any woman; it was Kana._

_"Hello Prince Zuko, I'm so glad you could finally join me." Her voice sounded strange, smooth, echoing._

_"Who are you?" he whispered, her lips perked up at the side._

_"I'm whoever you need at the moment, your conscious, I guess you could say." She laughed, rising out of the water on what looked like steps._

_"I've been here before." He said, and she shook her head._

_"You've been outside of here before, you weren't ready to come in yet."_

_"Why wasn't I ready to come in?"_

_"Come here and I'll show you." Zuko hesitated, but after a moment he slowly walked towards Kana, who knelt by the pond she had been in. He sat next to her, and immediately felt his throat tighten. It was a rippling picture of him as Fire Lord, two dragons twirling around him, right as he was about to ask the woman what this was, she pushed him in._

_He fell for what felt like an eternity, until suddenly he was just sitting on a mat in the throne room, no scar on his face. He took in a breath, staring ahead at a figure kneeling in front of him, staring at him with somehow warm blue eyes. He felt his shoulders relax; it was Kana, but not the one he had seen moments ago._

_"It's getting late, are you planning on retiring soon My Lord?" he heard the blue dragon ask, but Kana just shook her head telling him that no he was not had the strangest feeling that the blue dragon sounded like Azula, but that couldn't be right, could it?_

_"I'm not tired."_

_"Relax Fire Lord Zuko, just let go. Give in to it, shut your eyes for a while."_

_"No, Fire Lord Zuko! Do not listen to the blue dragon; you should get out of here right now. Go! Before it is too late!" the red dragon snarled in his ear, he sounded like his uncle._

_"Sleep," the blue dragon yelled, "just like MOTHER!" Zuko saw the dragon open its mouth, sharp teeth protruding from its pink gums, he was going to be swallowed whole! He closed his eyes, but nothing happened. When they opened again, Kana stood there with her arms wrapped tightly around its mouth, keeping it contained._

_"If you want to get out alive, then you need to run!" she screamed at him, "Run Zuko!"_

_He did what she said without thinking, leaping from his spot on the throne, as everything seemed to collapse around him. And as he kept running, his mother appeared in front of him, tugging her hood down and shouting at him. "Zuko, help me!"_

_He blinked, and everything was back to normal. He sat on the throne, the dragons gone, the crumbling gone, everything but him gone. He breathed a sigh of relief as a hole opened beneath him, and the rug dragged him under, a hand gripping his own before he could disappear. Zuko met Kana's eyes, gasping, but the sparkling pools that were her gaze seemed like frozen pits._

_"Never put your life in someone's hands, they're bound to steal it away." She let go, and he fell._

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Zuko felt a wet cloth touch his brow, and he sputtered awake in a coughing fit. He peeled his eyes open and saw a woman with dark brown hair and eyespouring tea. She put it to his lips, and he swallowed without instruction. It felt like a sword was being shoved down his throat, but the cooling sensation afterwards was too good for him to stop. He groaned clutching at his side.

"This isn't a natural sickness." The woman murmurs, glancing at him warily. "It's what happens when a person is changing, a change so drastic that they have to expel the rest of them out to make room for the new."

"What's happening to me?" he croaks coiling in on himself as his body is wracked with coughs.

"Something that naturally takes years to happen. My husband went through the same thing once, and he came out a much better person, hopefully you will too." Zuko barely heard the end of her sentence as he felt back into his nightmares.

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_He landed hard on his knees; the last thing he remembered was that Kana had let him fall. Let him fall with a look of contempt. He didn't know who either of those two Kana's were, but they weren't _his _Kana. The one who had wanted to be friends, who hated causing people pain but did it for the better good._

_"Rise and fight Prince Zuko." He heard a snarl from above him, and as he raised his head to look, he felt his heart stop. His father, he staring down at him with such a look of disgust, everything seemed pathetic next to him._

_"Please, Father! I am your loyal son!" he heard Ozai's roar, then pinched his eyes closed for what he knew what was to come next. But it never did. There was a loud crash, the pitch of the crowd was too high, and when he peeked through one eye he saw Kana standing above him enraged. A large burn was scorched into the fabric of her dress, going all the way to her skin._

_Zuko couldn't breath. He watched in horror as she yanked him to his feet by the collar of his shirt, placing her face in front of his. "Why can't you ever be a man?" she screamed at him, "you always let others get in the way, hopping they'll save you! For once stand up for yourself; I shouldn't have to protect you from everything!"_

_Zuko swallowed, a lump in his throat. He saw his father rise from where he'd been thrown, but he couldn't speak! He couldn't warn Kana! She was so focused on him that she didn't notice Ozai's approach, he wanted to move, but couldn't. Not against his father. He watched his father raise a fist of fire, striking with a snarl._

_He could hear his own yell, throat finally opening, but as his father's fist slammed against Kana's back, she seemed to explode. His eyes bulged out as he was dropped, snow crystals blowing in front of him. There was a sudden blowing of wind, so forceful he looked away, and when he could see clearly, he saw he was standing in a field surrounded by trees._

_Kana was there too, and so was the Avatar. He stared down at Kana's sad expression, her face so solemn. "I sorry, Zuko." She whispered, turning away. He didn't know what compelled him to grab her arm, stopping her from leaving. She just shook her head, and pulled away, walking towards the Avatar._

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"You're still warm, but your fever's broken at least." The woman said, patting his forehead with a cloth. His eyes wandered around and he could see hay, he was in a barn. "My husband said the pain would be worth it, in the end."

"How long have I been here?" Zuko croaked, and a boy popped out behind his mothers' skirt that looked like a younger version of the woman.

"Two days. So what's your name?"

"I'm… uh."

"You don't have to say who you are if you don't want to. You've been through quite enough." The woman murmured gently with a kind smile.

"So our guest is finally awake is he? Well that's great, isn't it Sela?" A man laughed, entering the barn. He was rather muscular, and Zuko managed to make out that he had the same nose as the boy. He must be his father.

"I need to be moving on." Zuko croaked, sitting up, making Sela laugh.

"You're to sick for travel, but Gansu has some work on the roof that shouldn't be to strenuous, if you want something to do of course." The woman said with a kind smile, and he nodded in agreement.

"Come on then," the man ordered, "let's give him some privacy to get ready." Zuko watched as they all left and slowly rose to his feet to keep from falling. He was still pretty dizzy, and his muscles were sore from thrashing unconsciously during his fever. Jerkily yanking on the clean Earth Kingdom clothes by his sick bed, he walked out of the barn into the sunlight.

After the glare of the sun stopped blinding him, Zuko glanced around, slightly surprised at what he saw. The woman, Sela, was caring for farm animals, mostly different kinds of pigs with a content smile on her face. Lee was slashing around at some grain, and a ladder led up to the roof, where the woman said he should look for work. He climbed up the wooden rungs, poking his head above the shingles to see Gansu already at work.

"Well come on, if you're gonna help, then hop to it." He said with a lopsided grin, taking a moment to rest on his haunches and address Zuko.

"Right." He said pulling himself onto the roof, and relishing the pull of his muscles. Gansu handed him some metal nails and a hammer before getting back to work. He peered down at them bewildered, he'd never had to work a day in his life, he didn't know how to use these. He could just start nailing them in wherever, but he'd probably make more work for the older man. But it'd be embarrassing to admit he didn't know how to do this. He put the nail against the roof-

_These people just cared for you while you were on your death bed, suck up your pride and do the honorable thing._

The hammer nearly fell from his hand, he could have sworn he just heard Kana speaking, it would be something she'd say... And she'd be right. "I've never worked on a roof before, I don't know how I should do this." Zuko managed to choke out, making Gansu glance up at him.

"Nail the shingles up by the corners, here," he said pointing, "and here." Zuko hesitated before doing what he was told, the nail bending to the side crookedly. "Like this." Gansu chuckled, slamming his own hammer into the nail, straightening it. He held the base with two fingers, gently tapping until it didn't move, then slamming it full force into the roof.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Lee asked, leaning against the house on the ladder. Zuko shook his head.

"Uh-uh."

"Yeah, I could tell cause you don't know how to fix a roof. Everyone around here knows how. So where _are_ you from?"

"Far away." He answered bluntly, following what Gansu had taught him to do, step by step. The kid was kind of annoying, but manageable. He couldn't figure out why he didn't want to snap at him to go away, he would have not a day before.

"Lee, give it a rest. Stop asking the man personal questions, got it?" Gansu ordered his son, sharply.

"Yes." He said dejectedly, face brightening suddenly. "So how'd you get that scar?" Zuko jumped at the shear audacity of the question, right as he brought the hammer down. It slammed down on his thumb, forcing him to stifle a cry of pain through gritted teeth.

"It's not nice to bother people about things they might not want to talk about. A man's past is his business." Gansu growled coldly at his son, who quickly disappeared down the side of the building, leaving the two men to work in peace.

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"You shouldn't steal." Zuko said quietly, making Lee drop the two dao swords he'd been swinging around, and fall backwards. The boy had run into a field of dandelions to hide, but obviously he was found. The kid quickly jumped up, swords in hand, and offered them back with a shamed look on his face. Zuko just looked down at the boy, sighing. He put his hands over Lee's. "You're holding them all wrong."

"Keep in mind, these are dual swords." He took the swords and began to demonstrate moves for Lee, a concentrated look on his face. "Two halves of a single weapon. Don't think of them as separate, because they're not. They're just two different parts of the same whole."

That sounded like something Kana or Uncle would say.

He gave the swords back to Lee. The boy practiced a bit, and then looked back at Zuko. His arms are folded and he has an uncharacteristic smile on his face, causing the boy to laugh. Zuko took his swords back, and the two started down a path back to the house. A full moon hung overhead, and he couldn't help but wonder what Kana was doing at this moment. He imagined she had found an Earthbending teacher by now.

"I think you'd really like my brother Sen Su. He used to show me stuff like this all the time."

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"This should get you through a few meals." Sela said gently, handing a bag full of food to Zuko, who sat atop his Ostrich Horse.

"Thank you." He said, nodding at them. Just as he turned his mount to leave, he saw a dust cloud be kicked up by soldiers approaching. They drew to a stop right in front of him, blocking his path.

"What do you want, Gow?" Gansu spat at the man in charge.

"Just thought someone ought to tell you, your son's battalion got captured." Zuko turned to Gansu, whose expression was twisted in horror.

"You boys hear what the Fire Nation did with their last group of Earth Kingdom prisoners?"

"Dressed them up in Fire Nation uniforms and put them on the frontline unarmed, way I heard it. Then they just watched." A soldier snickered.

"You shut your mouth!" Gansu snarled, obviously trying to keep from lunging forward at the soldiers. Gow growled back at him, trying to move forward, but Zuko shifted his horse in the way. They stared at each other before the other man turned away.

"Why bother rooting around in the mud with these pigs?" Gow hissed, he and his men turned away, heading back the way they came.

"What's going to happen to my brother?" Lee croaked, but everyone just ignored him.

"I'm going to the front. I'm going to find Sen Su and bring him back." Gansu declared, looking at a distraught Sela. She nodded once, then both moved toward the house. As soon as they were inside, Lee burst into tears, running up to Zuko.

"When my dad goes, will you stay?"

"No. I need to move on, I need to make amends with some of my family. Here." He said offering Lee his dagger. "I want you to have this. Read the inscription." Lee took the dagger and unsheathed it.

"Made in the Earth Kingdom."

"The other one." Zuko said, annoyed.

"Never give up without a fight."

"There is a fine line between bravery, and stupidity. Make sure you don't cross it." Zuko put his steed in a gallop, and rode away.

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Zuko was looking up at the stars, remembering his time on his ship, with his crew... With Kana. She played over everything she had ever told him then, and everything she had told him when they were refugees together. He came to one conclusion. "Kana had always lied." He grimaced, it's not like she was to blame. He wouldn't have told the truth either.

Zuko was knocked from his thoughts at the sound of a wagon fast approaching; he lurches upright only to see Sela distraught.

"You have to help. It's Lee." she wailed getting off the wagon and approaching Zuko. "The thugs from town came back as soon as Gansu left. When they ordered us to give them food, Lee pulled a knife on them. I don't even know where he got a knife! Then they took him away. They told me if he's old enough to fight, he's old enough to join the army. I know we barely know you, but..." She began to cry.

"I'll get your son back."

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"Hey! There he is! I told you he'd come." Lee shouted out.

Gow and his men emerge from the shadows. Still silhouetted by the light from the sunset, Zuko dismounts and takes off his hat. He and Gow face off, the latter backed by his men.

"Let the kid go." He snarled.

"Who do you think you are? Telling us what to do?" How snapped back.

"It doesn't matter who I am. All I need to know is that you're all a bunch of bullies impersonating soldiers... And a friend of mine would expect nothing less of me putting you in your place."

"Are you going to let this stranger stand there and insult you like this?" How hissed to his men.

The soldier to Gow's left brandished his spear and walked forward. Zuko pulled back as the soldier lunged, then drew the handle of his swords right into the stomach of the charging thug, knocking the soldier backwards.

Another man ran at Zuko with his spear, but he just blocked, then brought him to the ground with a palm blow to the forehead.

The last pawn charged Zuko with his spear, but he broke it in half with a blow. The thug dropped the remains and ran.

Gow, made of sterner stuff than his men, drew his two war hammers and adopted a bending stance. Zuko in turns drew his broadswords. Gow slammed the ground with one hammer, raises a rock and hit it with the other. It flew at Zuko, who shattered it with his blades. Gow repeated the move twice in rapid succession. Zuko destroys one rock, but got hit in the gut by the other. He recovers and ran at Gow with

his blades.

When another blow hit him, Zuko realized something. He couldn't beat him with just these swords. He wasn't good enough, his style had too much brute force behind it, something that Earthbenders utilized even more than Firebenders. Another rock hit him, and he went flying, slamming into the ground hard enough to knock his breath away.

When his eyes opened back up, the glare of the sun the only thing he could see, a shadow seemed to flit into view. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Kana was looming over him, hands on hips, with a mocking smile. He must still be sick with fever. "_Come on, get up._" She commanded. "_If you can't beat him with the sheer force of fire, than try another tactic. You're fast Zuko, don't be the flame that rages over everything, be the one that flickers in and out of existence._"

With a roar, he leapt back to his feet, throwing one blade right at Gow. The man bent a chunk of earth up to deflect it, and when he looked back at where his opponent was, he was gone. Before he could even chuckle, Zuko brought the hilt of his sword down on the back of his neck, as hard as possible. He bent down, retrieving the knife that Gow had apparently taken from Lee, and walks over to Sela.

"Give this to him when he's ready. I tried to tell him that there is a difference between bravery and stupidity, but apparently he doesn't understand that quite yet." Sela looked down at the blade in her hands, then lunged forward, embracing Zuko as tightly as she could.

"Thank you for saving my boy." She whispered.

.

**So for any of you Zutara fans, I recently learned that Bluetarako has recently revamped the alternate Zutara ending on Deviantart. If you're an animator, know an animator, or simply what to help her out in this endeavor, read her journals and find out how you can!  
**

****Character Questions Answered

Toph, who do you see Kana as; a mother, a sister, or a best friend?- _Oh I don't know, I figured Water Mama rather implied something. Maybe I should start calling you Meat Head instead of Sokka._


	29. Chapter 8: The Chase

**Legal necessities: **What was the first thing I said? Well whatever it was, that.

Chapter 8: The Chase

"So, Toph, usually when we set up camp, we try to divide up the work." Katara said, glancing over at the blind Earthbender.

"Hey, don't worry about me, I'm good to go."

"Well, actually, what I'm trying to say is, uh, some of us might fetch water while someone else might set up the fire pit or put up the tent." Momo flew down dropping nuts into Katara's hand before fluttering away. "Even Momo does his fair share."

"Katara, I'm fine. I can carry my own weight. I don't need a fire, I've already collected my own food, and look," Toph quickly used her earthbending to create a stone tent, "my tent's all set up."

"Well that's great for you but-" Katara was silenced when Kana grabbed her shoulder, and shook her head once in order to get her to be quiet. She pulled her away from the others near the trees before speaking.

"Toph is a very complicated girl," she started, "she needs some time to feel independent, which means she needs you to be the same."

"Oh, okay. I guess that's fine." Kana just nodded, and walked away to help set up camp. They all settled down after a quick camp set up, but Kana decided to have a talk with Toph before settling down to rest. She knocked on a side of the rock tent, crouching down to peer at the resting Earthbender.

"Ugh, I was just about to fall asleep, Water Mama." She complained, flipping over to offer a blind glare.

"There's plenty of time for sleep, Toph, I-"

"Actually there's not." She said, jumping to her feet as the rock walls went back into the earth. "There's something coming towards us!"

"What is it?" Aang asked groggily, rubbing his eyes, as the two Water Tribe siblings emerged from a tent next to Appa.

"It feels like an avalanche…" Toph answered, brow scrunching in confusion. "But also, not like an avalanche."

"Your powers of perception are frightening." Sokka drawled, earning a quick thwack to the head from Kana.

"Should we leave?" Katara asked, ignoring them.

"Better safe than sorry." Quickly, everyone piled everything back onto the flying bison, and without incident the giant creature lifted up into the sky. As they look back over the trees, Kana saw a huge machine kicking up dust on an open area of ground. It's a large train-like tank, smoke pouring out of it like a dragon. It has two large compartments connected to it, trailing behind, and all of them have large treads. Whatever it is, it's moving very quick for its size.

"What is that?" Katara whispered, causing Kana to purse her lips.

"Trouble." She said.

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It didn't matter. Wherever they went, Azula and her lackeys where behind them. Kana had tried to talk with Toph, but she quickly realized that everyone was to tired to be rational, including her. But she woke up, a burst of adrenaline pumping through her blood when lighting shot out of Azula's fingers. Yet what caught her attention was the blue fire.

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"Both of you shut up!" Kana screamed, shocking everyone into silence. "I am sick and tired of you two arguing, take a moment and think before you go around pointing fingers and blaming people!" She snarled, stomping on the ground, making the earth fracture beneath her foot.

"I never asked for didly doo da, I carry my own weight!" Toph shouted, "Besides, if there's anyone to blame, it's sheddy over here."

"What? You're blaming Appa?" Aang gasped, appalled.

"Yeah! You wanna know how they keep finding us?" She growled, grabbing a bunch of hair from Appa's side, then letting it blow away in the breeze. "He's leaving a trail everywhere we go!"

"How dare you blame Appa! He saved your life three times today! If there's anyone to blame, it's you! You're always talking about how you carry your own weight, but you're not! He is! Appa's carrying your weight! He never had a problem flying when-" Kana slapped a hand over Aang's mouth to keep him from saying anymore, but the damage was done. Toph just stared blankly at him for a moment before turning on her heel, and walking away.

"I'm outta here." She said dryly.

"Toph, wait!" Kana pleaded, placing a hand on the Earthbender's shoulder only for her to rip it away. Everyone watched as she disappeared into the trees, not saying anything until Aang let out a frustrated yell.

"What did I just do? I can't believe I just yelled at my Earthbending teacher, now she's gone!"

"So we're just going to have to find her," Kana snapped, "and both of you are going to apologize."

"I'm all for that," Sokka piped up, "but what are we suppose to do about the tank full of dangerous ladies?"

"I have a plan." Aang replied determinedly. "Everyone, it's time to give Appa a bath!" And that's exactly what they did. They made sure to get all the loose fur off of him until he was clean enough to enter a pageant.

"Toph was right, Appa's fur was leading a trail right to us. But now that he's clean, no more trail!"

"Are you sure that he's okay to fly?" Katara asked, making Kana nod.

"So long as we leave everything here, he should be able to get us to a new, safer location." She said, turning to peer at Aang, who was gathering up bunches of fur. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to use Appa's fur to make a false trail, and lead the tank off course." Kana snatched up her metal glider from the saddle, and popped it open.

"Count me in, then. I'll need a little boost to get air born though." She grinned.

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"The trail goes this way." Mai said blankly, staring down at the tuffs of fur littering the ground.

"The Avatar is trying to give us the slip." Azula hissed pointing at broken tree tops. "You two head in that direction and keep your eye out for the bison. I'll follow the trail."

"Be careful, Azula!" Ty Lee laughed, hoping onto her ride.

"I don't need to be careful, Ty Lee, I'm better than the Airbender."

"I don't mean you silly! I meant be careful not to hurt him too much, your father wants him alive right?"

"Oh, I guess." Azula smirked.

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Kana watched Aang from the second story window of an abandoned building. She watched as the Fire Princess rode into the main rode of the town, and dismounted her lizard, a hiss escaping Kana's lips. She wanted to attack now, but patients was key. "Alright, you've caught up with me. Now who are you and what do you want?"

"You mean you haven't guessed? You don't see the family resemblance? Here's a hint." Kana snarled when Azula covered her eye in a poor imitation of Zuko. "I must find the Avatar to restore my honor."Aang didn't react. "It's okay. You can laugh. It's funny. "

"So what now?"

"Now... Now it's over. You're tired and you have no place to go. You can run, but I'll catch you."

"I'm not running." Aang stated firmly. A cruel smile spread over Azula's face as the breeze blew a strand of her hair.

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Toph laughed, "So, where is your nephew?"

"I've been tracking him, actually."

"Is he lost?"

"Yes, a little bit. His life has recently changed and he's going through very difficult times. He is trying to figure out who he is and he went away." Iroh murmured sadly.

"So... now you're following him."

"I know he doesn't want me around right now, but, if he needs me, I'll be there."

"Your nephew is very lucky, even if he doesn't know it." Toph said standing up. "You remind me a lot of a girl I know. Thank you."

"My pleasure. Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights." Iroh chuckled.

"No, thank you for what you said. It helped me."

"I'm glad." Toph picked up her bag and began to leave, but turned back briefly.

"Oh, and about your nephew? Maybe you should tell him that you need him too."

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"Do you really want to fight me?" Azula sneered. Suddenly Zuko burst into sight from an alley between Aang and his sister. He tumbled off the ostrich horse he was riding, and landed in a crouching position.

"Yes," he stood and threw his straw hat away. "I really do."

"Zuko!" Kana hissed, teeth clenching in aggravation.

"I was wondering when you'd show up, Zuzu." Azula smirked, making Aang laugh.

"Zuzu?" Zuko stepped into a Firebending stance, facing Azula, his arms outstretched both towards her and towards Aang on his other side. It looked like Kana was going to have to bump up her plans. Without a word, she propelled herself out of the window she watched the scene at, aiming for the princess.

Before anyone could see what was happening, Kana's feet rammed right into Azula's side, knocking them both to the ground. A burst of flame ignited, aiming right at Aang. The assaulting Waterbender leapt to her feet stopping the fire from scorching her tired friend with a jet of her own fire, allowing Aang to take off on his glider.

Azula twirled on her hips, knocking Kana's feet out from under her. Without a break in her form, she turned, sending an enormous whip of blue fire at the Airbender, knocking him from the sky. Both the Waterbender and two Firebender's raced to where he had fallen, tossing flames at each other.

Aang lifted himself off the ground, hurtling the prince and princess away with a burst of air. "Kana, take my hand!" he shouted, and without hesitation, she did what he said. Not a second later Aang spun her out of the way of a stream of blue fire.

Kana offered no resistance as her friend yanked, and flung, and guided her away from blasts of blue fire. She noticed jets of orange, but none of them were angled at her, and if they were, it was only because she was holding Aang's hand. She only had time to blink once as she was thrown into an alley, away from the fight.

When she looked back up, Azula was chasing after Aang, and Zuko had run to her side. He pulled her up by the arm, pinning her to the wall when the building across the street fell. "Kana, don't bend anything but fire in Azula's presence." He hissed, "She doesn't know you're the Avatar, and she won't if you don't let her."

With that he tried to run back into the fight, but Kana caught his ankle with a water whip, effectively tripping him. "Sorry, Zuzu, but this _is_ a fight." She kicked at the ground with her toes causing a pillar of earth to fling Zuko into the air. Throwing out a fist, a burst of light erupted from her hand, slamming her opponent into a pillar, and knocking him out. "Sorry again." She called, running back into the fight, which Sokka and Katara had joined.

"I thought you guys could use a little help." Toph grinned, tripping Azula. The princess snarled before making a run for it. Everyone followed after her, skidding to a halt when Iroh pushed her back with his gut. Kana gave a coy smirk to a disgruntled Zuko as they all closed in on their common enemy.

"Well look at this, enemies and traitors, all working together." Azula sneered, before frowning. "I'm done. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor."

"Girls like us don't have honor, Azula." Kana growled, making the Firebender grin.

"I guess you're right." She twirled on her heel, sending out a jet of fire that hit Iroh right in the chest, spinning around. Kana let out a cry, rushing to his side, completely forgetting about the battle. There was an explosion, but she didn't care, she could only see his kind old face contorted in pain, even when unconscious. She felt a lump form in her throat when Zuko tore her away from him, taking her spot.

"Get away from us!" he screamed, glaring right at Kana, "You abandoned us!"

"Please, Zuko, let me help!" she begged, face crumpling.

"Leave!" he shouted, flinging a wave of flame at her, and the others who had gathered behind her. The light from the fire was so bright he didn't see her step through them, grab a handful of hair, and deliver a resounding slap across his face.

"Don't you dare allow your anger at me, cost him his life." She snarled between gritted teeth. Kana flung him aside, pulling water from her flask into her hands. With a deep breath, it began to glow, and she set her palms gently against Iroh's scorched skin. She felt around the edges of his wounds with her Waterbending, and choked back a sob. He was going to be all right. Iroh was going to be all right.

.

**You guys have no idea how much I suffered over this chapter up until the end. The ending was fun, but the rest. The rest was just dreadful to write, this is the chapter that out of all of them, has made me decide to quit. Yes it's over; you will never know how this ends, or what happens after this… **

**NAH I'M JUST KIDDING NEAHAHAHAHAHA. Bet you believed me for a second there XD I'm so mean.**

No Character Questions.


	30. Chapter 9: Bitter Thoughts

**Legal necessities: **I own these _thoughts_, but am _bitter_ about not owning the last airbender.

Chapter 9: Bitter Thoughts

_Two people ran up a hill, laughing. The older one - a man - seemed familiar, but the little boy chasing him was a complete stranger. Black tendrils seemed to twist and coil at the edge of the scene, black snakes swarming around, but neither of the two people seemed to notice. "I got you dad!" The boy yelled, posing in a mock Firebending pose for a moment._

_The man twirled around, letting out a laughing grunt as he fell to the ground 'dying'. His son wasted no time flinging his small body over his fathers stomach, and they just lay there under the sun, laughing without a care in the world._

"Kana, get up! Today's the day!" Kana's eyes snapped open, her chest constricting tightly until her gaze fell on her friends face, just inches away. She swatted him away with a hiss, sitting up. He knew she didn't like being woken up that way!

"Aang, what have I told you?" She scolded, rubbing her eyes with a hand.

"You're not a Firebender, you rise with the moon, not the sun, and no you will not play glider chicken Cow with me." He listed off, counting on each finger impatiently. "But today's a special day, we get to Earthbend today!"

"I've been Earthbending for a month now Aang, the thrill wears off with Toph pretty quickly. I'm going back to bed now."

"But Kana, if you practice Earthbending with me today, I might have a surprise for you." Aang grinned, making her glare at him suspiciously.

"What kind of surprise?"

"A surprise that might just be half as awesome as these." He said, shoving his yang bracelet underneath her nose.

"Fine, I'll help with your training, but Toph gets you first." Kana said, raising a hand to stop him from cheering. Aang didn't have time to ignore the gesture and cheer anyways, as the earth tent Toph put up, exploded.

"Good morning Earthbending students!" She yelled, walking forward. "Kana, why are you still in your sleeping bag?" She asked darkly, making the Waterbender grin. Without warning, she ripped the earth out from under her masters feet, sending Aang into the air with a shout. Toph leapt back, and by the time her feet touched the ground, Kana was standing.

"Nice one," the Earthbender commented, punching her in the shoulder, "you can practice with Sweetness while I deal with Twinkle Toes over here."

"I'd love to work with you, Kana." Katara smiled, getting up from her own makeshift bed. "You said you had a special technique to show me before we left the North Pole."

"Can a person never sleep with you people around?" Sokka shouted, jumping up with his sleeping bag still around him. He began to hop away, obviously going to find a place to sleep, but Kana kicked the ground causing a block of dirt to rise up, and ram right into Sokka's butt, tipping him over. He glared over his shoulder, only to be met with a group of laughter. Grumbling, he didn't even bother to get back up, and began to worm away, leaving the benders to themselves.

"I've taught you well, my student." Toph snickered, putting an arm around Kana's shoulder, before turning to Aang. "Now onto you Twinkle Toes, you better not disappoint me!"

"Yes!" Aang shouted, jumping into the air. "What are you going to teach me first? The Rock-alanch? The Grave Digger? The-" Toph slapped her hand over his mouth, shutting him up.

"Let's just start with, _move a rock_." She said, dragging him away by the hand.

"I'm going to start on breakfast," Katara said, "you can try to get a little more sleep if you want."

"Thanks, Katara, I'll do that." Kana murmured, getting back in her sleeping bag.

"Afterwards you have to show me that technique though!"

"I promise."

QQQQQQQQQQ

_He had been given command of a small town on the outskirts of Ba Sing Se. He had been waiting to go to war for a long time. Though he did not agree with the Fire Nation, it was his country and he'd fight to protect it. Besides, it was expected of him. Just as it was expected that he would not fall in love with an Earth Kingdom peasant._

_He barely knew her name, he had only heard it on accident, when a passer by commented on her kindness. Tian, it meant sky, which her gray eyes so reminded him of. They were always filled with love, whether she was patting a stray dog, or playing with a Fire Nation child. She was amazing, but they never said a single word to each other, even though he saw her stare sometimes._

QQQQQQQQQQ

Kana woke with a stiff neck, and a pounding heart. She knew who that man was, it was the same one she had talked to in the swamp. When she saw Katara filling a bowl with soup, relief flooded through her, _a distraction, thank the spirits._ Kana took the bowl that was offered to her, and placed it to her lips. It was good, considering Katara only had a limited amount of ingredients to work with.

"When do you want to work on our bending?" she asked.

"I want to go check up on Aang and Toph first, if that's okay." Katara replied with a smile.

"Of course it is, I have a feeling Aang's not going to get it right away." she said, getting up, and stretching.

"Why do you say that?" Katara asked, standing as well. A boulder soared past them into a cannon wall, making the Waterbender jump as Kana laughed.

"It'll be easier to just show you." She replied, jogging forward to find Aang and Toph standing in Earthbending stances.

"I'm ready." Aang's eyes narrowed and he punched forward, but a blast of air sent him shooting backward, and slamming into Appa's side only to fall on his face.

"Rock beats Airbender!" Sokka snickered, still in his sleeping bag, sitting on a nearby rock. Kana quickly sent him flying with a pillar of earth before walking over to her friend.

"I don't understand, I did it just like you." Aang complained, starting walking in a circle around the rock. "Maybe I could go at it from another angle."

"No, that's the problem. You've got to stop thinking like an Airbender." Toph snapped, knocking her fist lightly against the side of Aang's head, making him wince slightly. "There's no different angle, no clever solution, no trickity trick that's going to move that rock." She shoves Aang, causing him to cry out and stumble away.

"Kana! Come show Twinkle Toes how a real Earthbender does it!" She ordered, pointing at the boulder. "And remember to use your head!"

"Right." Kana nodded. As she moved forward, she slipped seamlessly into a bending stance, leapt into the air, and slammed her forehead into the rock. Her skull vibrated as the earth blew apart, eliciting a shout of shock from Aang. Placing a hand on her ringing head, she glanced up at everyone with a smirk. "Done and done."

"When did you learn how to do that?" Aang yelped.

"She didn't!" Toph growled back. "She did what she was told without hesitation, and without question! Understand, Master Arrow Head? Breezing around isn't going to do anything to the rock, only sheer will power can move it!"

Aang looked down, unsure of himself, making Toph snort and stomp away, Katara hot on her heels.

"It's okay _Master Arrow Head_," Kana teased lightly, taking his hand and squeezing gently, "you'll get this, just like I got Firebending."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, fire and water are opposites, just like air and earth. It's hard to try and learn how to be something you're not. It isn't just learning a new bending form; it's a new way of thinking as well."

"How did you get past the block?" Aang asked, starring.

"I had to find something that ignited my inner flame, something that could push past the fact that I was a Waterbender, because I was desperate enough too."

"What was it?" he asked, wide eyed.

"It was keeping you safe."

QQQQQQQQQQ

_He had talked to her today. They had spoken to each other, and he could have sworn that the sun had shone brighter for the rest of the day. It was a random twist of fate that they had been able to talk to each other, and he thanked the spirits that he hadn't stayed home that day. If he had, he wouldn't have been buying apples at the market when those children pulled their little prank._

_They had removed on of the planks from the stand, sending all the fresh apples sprawling on the ground. The fruit vendor had leapt after his produce, asking people for help, but everyone just ignored him, going so far as to literally step on his livelihood! The Fire Nation soldier watched as the scene played out, sighed, the got on his hands and knees to help._

_As he gathered the fruit into his arms, there was a bump on his shoulder. Expecting it to be the shopkeeper, he glanced up to apologize, but froze when his eyes met the sky. His throat tightened in surprise, all thoughts fleeing his mind when she gave him a tiny smile. "I expected more people to help this poor man, didn't you?" she asked_

_His mouth went dry so he nodded, swallowing. "It's the right thing to do."_

QQQQQQQQQQ

"Waterbending is the most powerful form in the world." Kana said, knocking Katara out of her meditative trance.

"What?" She asked, bewildered. "Aang said that all of the elements are equal."

"Being equal is different from being powerful." Kana stated, shaking her head. "Have you ever wondered that the Avatar cycle - excluding the second Avatars of course - always restarts with Water? Then Earth, Fire, and Air. And if you look at each natural disaster, that is the order in destruction?"

"No." Katara murmured thoughtfully, "I guess I just never thought about it before."

"But you have made the connection that of all the elements, only Waterbending's original master was a spirit. The others were all animals."

"I've always wondered about that, it doesn't make much sense that animals wouldn't be able to learn Waterbending."

"Is it, Katara? Animals are not like spirits and people, they simply live their lives, they don't seek power like we do."

"But power always brings about destruction, whether intentional or not." Katara argued, "Waterbending is about healing."

"That is only half of what water is. People see it as soft and gentle, but keep in mind that Waterbending is built on the foundations of Yin and Yang. To heal, _and_ to destroy."

"Then how come Master Pakku never told me these things?"

"Despite what you might believe, Katara, the Northern Water Tribe hasn't found balance. They lean to much towards healing, unable to embrace the more violent side of their element."

"I can understand why, it sounds dangerous." Katara mumbled, holding her arms.

"You are remembering the beginning of your training, aren't you?" Kana asked gently, and the other girl nodded.

"The strange thing about it, wasn't that it was so brutal, it was that in the end, I felt more whole. It was frightening."

"Never be afraid of your element, Katara." Kana chastised sternly, taking hold of the other girl by the shoulders. "Waterbender's don't crave destruction, or even healing. They need balance. And as a girl, you had been held away from a vital part of that balance, and when you finally had it, it made you more complete."

"How do you reach that balance when bending?" Katara asked suddenly, resolve hardening. "I want to make the moon and ocean spirits proud."

"That's what I wanted to show you, I'm going to teach you Southern style Waterbending." Kana said with a grin.

QQQQQQQQQQ

_He sat on a bridge overlooking a fast flowing river, feet dangling precariously over the ledge. He wondered what it would be like if he jumped into the rapids below. He wouldn't resurface, but for a moment, it'd be worth it. It would be an epic end, to an ordinary life._

_"You seem a little to serious to be sitting up there." A voice said from behind him._

_"What?" He asked, turning around. His heartbeat quickened when he met Tian's gray gaze._

_"The ledge," she laughed, walking over to where he was sitting. "It's too pretty a sight to be sad when looking at." He agreed, though he was staring at her instead of the water._

_"I've noticed you around town," she said suddenly, "you're nicer than the other soldiers. Kinder. You don't take your frustrations out on the towns people."_

_"They don't mean to act the way they do," he replied quietly, "they've been away from the Fire Nation for a long time, they miss their homes."_

_"And they blame us for not being able to go back." Tian whispered, staring down at her hands._

_"I don't." He said, gazing at the horizon, where the sun met the earth._

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"Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything. " Iroh said, drawing the two elemental symbols next to each other with a stick.

"What does this have to do with the sickness I told you about?" Zuko asked, a little annoyed. "The woman who cared for me said it wasn't one of the body, but of the mind. I thought you would know about this!"

"To understand what happened within you, you must understand what's happened beyond you, as you've been informed of, the fever you endured wasn't caused by the earth around us."

"This isn't time for your complex sayings, Uncle!" Zuko snapped, glaring.

"This is no saying, Nephew." Iroh said cutting him off, and silencing him with a look. "The reason you fell ill in such a manner is because one of your chakras has been forcibly opened. When a chakra truly opens, it is a life changing event, not something you walk away from wondering if something's happened or not. A shift that will be clearly seen and felt."

"But how was it opened if I made no effort to do so?" Zuko asked, frustrated.

"The answer to your question is easily found, but you refuse to find it. It should be no surprise that the chakra opened was the Sacral. Otherwise known as the Water Chakra. Perhaps that is also why your illness was so great."

"The Water Chakra..." Zuko croaked, realization beginning to sink in.

"This chakra often offers us the opportunity to lessen our control issues and find a balance in our lives, teaching us to recognize that acceptance and rejection are not the only options in our relationships." Iroh explained, pushing on with a bitter taste on his tongue.

"You're saying Kana is the reason it was ripped open, aren't you?" Zuko whispered, and his uncle nodded.

"It is also why she played such a large roll in your dream. You have come to identify her as someone who radiates warmth, and sincere friendliness without coming on too strongly. She is open to the world around her; she has energy, compassion, grounded intuition, and emotional stability. Kana is the picture of a balanced Sacral chakra."

"That explains the dream and the fever, but not what happened when I was facing Azula! I avoided fighting her, even though if I had, the Avatar would have been exposed!" Zuko shouted, and Iroh couldn't help but feel sorry for his nephew as he said his next words.

"Prince Zuko, the Sacral chakra is the frailest of them all, and the easiest to corrupt. To keep from re-closing it, your mind will refuse any actions that will hurt her. You will never be able to capture the Avatar if Kana is with him."

QQQQQQQQQQ

_His grandfather, his father, his uncle, his cousins. None of them would understand, or forgive him._

_Her grandmother, her mother, her aunt, her cousins. None of them would understand, or forgive her._

QQQQQQQQQQ

"I can't believe it! I never thought I'd be able to split a rock in half!" Katara exclaimed as the two Waterbenders made their way back to camp. Kana just laughed, linking her arm with Katara's.

"Don't get to excited, I still have a bit to teach you until you're a Southern master."

"I don't think I've ever been this excited to start training, not even at the North Pole! I knew you would teach me no matter what, but now I have the chance to learn about my heritage, thank you so much, Kana!"

"Anything for you, my eager student." She laughed. Just then they heard Toph and Aang speaking, and Katara pulled Kana to where they were.

"This time we're going to try something a little different. Instead of moving a rock, you're going to stop a rock." Toph said walking a few steps away, then quickly lunging at Aang, who recoiled slightly. "Get in your horse stance!"

He widened the position of his legs, Toph standing in front of him with a trail leading up an angled cliff behind her. "I'm going to roll that boulder down at you." She pointed up the hill at a large rock sitting at the top of the trail menacingly. "If you have the attitude of an Earthbender, you'll stay in your stance and stop the rock." Aangs mouth dropped open in surprise, obviously scared.

"Like this." Toph said, lunging forward with her arms outstretched to demonstrate what she meant.

"Sorry, Toph, but are you really sure this is the best way to teach Aang Earthbending?" Katara asked, moving forward towards them.

"I'm glad you said something." Toph smirked, reaching down and hooking a finger in Aang's belt. "Actually, there is a better way." She jerked off the belt and blindfolds him with it. "This way he'll really have to sense the vibrations of the boulder to stop it. Thank you, Katara!" She grinned, giving the stunned Waterbender two thumbs up.

"Ya, thank you Katara." Aang snapped sarcastically, as Toph began to move up the hill.

"Wait!" Kana yelled at the last moment.

"Water Mama, you best not be trying tell me how to teach Twinkle Toes like Sugar Queen over here!" the blind Earthbender snapped, pointing a finger at her.

"Actually, I have a better idea." She said calmly. "The only reason I learned Firebending, is because I was put in a situation where I had to." Slowly she made her way behind Aang, placing a hand on his shoulder. He jumped nervously, and lifted his blindfold before blanching.

"Kana what are you doing?" he whispered.

"I'm not doing anything, _you're_ Earthbending."

"But what if I can't stop the rock!?" he shouted

"You will, Aang," Kana ordered firmly, a pillar of rock encasing her legs all the way up to the hip, "because you won't be the one getting hit by it."

.

**CLIFFHANGER NEAHAHAHAHA. I debated on whether or not I should do it, and then I thought: which one would make you guys hate me more? And I think we all know the answer to that! Soooo here you go, a cliffy just to be mean, and a secret man that you have no incling of a clue about XD**

Character Questions Answered

Did you honestly have no idea who you were talking to during that scene when you ran away, Toph? I thought you could see people with your Earthbending, and I am sure the group would have talked about Iroh some right?

Toph: _Well I'm soooo sorry that I don't think every fat guy with a nephew is evil, Dunder Head._

Seriously Zuko, when are you going to learn that Kana is just there to help you? *whacks you on the head*

Zuko: -.=


	31. Chapter 10: History Lessons

**Legal necessities: **If _history_ has taught me any _lessons_, it's that I don't own A:TLA

Chapter 10: History Lessons

"You don't have to do this!" Aang shouted, staring at Kana pleadingly.

"Aang's right," Katara said nervously, "he'll get this, you don't have to push him."

"You believe in him, don't you?" she asked, with a pointed look. Katara couldn't say anything against that, so she simply backed away, eyes averted.

"Please," he begged, "I'll get it, I promise!"

"I always knew you'd get it, Aang. But this is the only sure fire way you'll get it _now_, there isn't time for you to work it out on your own, you're going to Earthbend right _now_! Toph!"

"Already ahead of you, Water Mama." The Earthbender said, making her way up the hill.

"I trust you, Aang, with my life." Kana whispered, gently placing the blindfold over his eyes.

"Here it comes!" Toph shouted from above, slamming her fist into the bolder. It tipped over the ledge, and started it's decent downwards.

QQQQQQQQQQ

_They had been meeting in secret for a while now, but he was sure everyone already knew. If he were anyone else, if she was a noble, it wouldn't matter being seen together publicly. Yet when the sun set, and they sneeked away to have a moonlit picnic underneath a cherry blossom tree, it all seemed worth it._

_"What are you thinking about?" Tian asked, cuddling into his chest as she stared into the starlit sky._

_"About how much I don't care what people think of us." He whispered into her ear. She turned her gray eyes onto his gold for a moment, then pressed her lips to his._

QQQQQQQQQQ

He couldn't do this! He wasn't going to be able to stop the boulder, and it'd crush Kana! He could feel it getting closer with each passing moment, causing sweat to drip down his contorted face. Aang wanted to move, he'd never wanted to move so bad, it seemed like his heart was going to explode!

_Jump now!_ His brain screamed, and time seemed to stop. He could see Kana clearly in his mind, stuck to the ground without any way to move, expecting him to save her. His fist slammed out, and the rock exploded around him.

Shakily he rose the makeshift blindfold from his eyes, coming face to face with Toph's grinning face. "You were supposed to stop the rock Twinkle Toes, not break it." She said, slapping him on the back, "But congratulations, you're an Earthbender!"

"Woohoo!" Aang shouted, leaping into the air before engulfing Toph in a bear hug. She wasted no time in slapping a palm to his forehead, knocking him to the ground, eliciting laughter from the entire group.

QQQQQQQQQQ

_"Have you heard the news?" a soldier asked, holding a scroll in his hand. "General Iroh broke through Ba Sing Se's outer wall, it's only a matter of time before the war's over, and we can go home!" cheers erupted around him, but all he could feel was an ache in his chest._

_Later that night when he talked to Tian, she already knew, and for the first time ever, he saw her upset. He had always been ignoring the fact that she was from the Earth Kingdom, and had an opinion about the war. She didn't want the Fire Nation to win. It wasn't that with the wars ending he'd have to leave, but that the battle would be _lost.

_He didn't respond when she started yelling at him, or said horrible degrading words, or even when she broke down crying. She didn't have any way to express her feelings about the Fire Nation without punishment, he was the only outlet she had for her anger, so he could bear being her punching bag._

_Yet, he had to admit, even when she threw herself into his arms, it didn't completely kill the pain caused by her words. Not because he didn't forgive her, but because what she said had been true, and he'd never thought badly about his country before._

QQQQQQQQQQ

"I guess hole beats Boomerang Man, huh Sokka?" Kana snickered, hands on hips.

"Yeah, yeah, could you get me outta here please?" he grumbled, making her shrug. With a swift kick to the ground, Sokka popped up, and Toph pulled him out by the head.

"You have no idea what being stuck in the ground, thinking you're going to die is like!" he whined, wiping the dirt from his clothes.

"Yes, because being trapped in an ice burg for one hundred years is no comparison to your being in a hole for three hours." Kana drawled sarcastically.

"She's got you beat, Meat Head, don't even try to argue, there's no way you could win against Water Mama here." Toph said, stopping Sokka from arguing, causing him to pout as they walked back to camp.

"Katara, we found your idiot brother!" she shouted as they all entered camp.

"Sokka!" Katara yelled excitedly, "Where were you?"

"Master hunter here got beat by a little saber tooth moose lion cub." Kana laughed, jabbing a thumb at him.

"That's not what happened! I got stuck in a hole for hours!" he shouted.

"Yeah, and you made promises to the universe you broke the moment you saw us." Toph snorted, crossing her arms.

"Hey, the universe should have known I was weak willed." He said, shrugging.

The conversation carried on like this with everyone chiming in, even Aang had taken an interest. Yet besides the fact that Sokka only had a bald monk on his side, _sometimes_, he continued arguing his point. It lasted until Kana finally had enough.

"Spirits Sokka, what will it take for you to admit you're wrong already?"

"I shall never admit defeat!" he shouted, leaping to his feet.

"What about a vacation, would that get you to shut up?" she asked jokingly, leaning back to stare at him properly.

"Vacation, huh?" he said, rubbing his chin.

"That's a great idea!" Katara grinned, "We could all use a little break to take our minds off of things."

"I was kidding, Katara, there isn't time for that." Kana said, shaking her head.

"Actually, she might be right." Aang piped up. "The monks use to tell me that one doesn't master something through pure relentless work, but by knowing one's body, and limitations. Besides, we already have all of our bending teachers picked out. Choosing a vacation would definitely help us to relax and rest up."

"Fine, but I get to pick where we go first." Kana conceded, stretching back on the ground.

"Wait a minute, I just thought of something!" Sokka said, "If you're an Earthbender, couldn't you have just stopped the rock yourself?"

"I might have conveniently left that part out of my motivational speech." Kana smirked.

"What!?" Aang screamed.

QQQQQQQQQQ

_There was fire. So much fire. The village was under attack from rebels, and they didn't care if they hurt the towns people. "Tian!" he shouted, "Tian, where are you?"_

_"Here, I'm here!" she yelled back, running through the chaos in the streets, and into his arms. He hugged her to his chest tightly, pulling her into a secluded corner._

_"You need to leave Tian, it's not safe here."_

_"Where do I go?" she whispered._

_"The cherry blossom tree," he murmured, pressing his lips to hers, "I'll meet you there after dealing with the rebels."_

QQQQQQQQQQ

"So tell me, _why_ are we going to a Fire Nation colony again?" Sokka grumbled.

"Because that's where I picked to go for my vacation." Kana said wistfully. "Besides, it's not just any Fire Nation colony; it's where Hariti was born.

"Who's Hariti?" Katara asked, scooting closer in order to hear over the wind.

"She's the nun who raised me since I was very young, she was more of a mother to me than my own."

"Why is that?"

"It wasn't that she was bad, or paid no attention to me, I loved her very much in fact. Yet she was so busy taking care of the tribes that she had to ask Hariti to look after me most of the time. And after it was discovered that I was the Avatar, I left for two years, came back for a month, and left again. After everything that had happened, everything that I experienced, it was Hariti who got me through it. I have no doubt that my mother wanted to be there for me, but through no fault of her own, she just couldn't be."

"Is that why we're going to Yu Dao, because you want to be closer to Hariti?"

"Yes and no," Kana smiled, "Hariti always told me that she'd take me when I was older, because only than I'd be able to understand."

"Understand what?" Sokka snapped, throwing out his arms, "That the Fire Nation is evil, and took over a defenseless village? We already know that, there's no reason to go tramping around enemy territory!"

"Toph, would you please hit him?" Kana joked, and just as she let go of Appa's saddle to do just that, the sky bison banked hard to the left. Without being able to see, Toph leaned to the wrong side, and in slow motion, flung herself off of his back.

"Toph!" Kana screamed, lunging for her glider, only to be stopped by Aang.

"You won't be fast enough, I'll get her!" He yelled determinedly, leaping from his spot on Appa's head. Everyone held their breath as the seconds turned into a minute, and as fast as it had happened, it was over. Aang and Toph emerged from the clouds in a single swoop, the blind Earthbender clinging tightly about his torso, arms wrapped around him. They landed hard, and Aang gave everyone a thumbs up from around Toph's shoulders, who quickly let go of him.

"Maybe you should sit up on Appa's head with Aang." Kana laughed with barely contained relief, earning a sharp jab to the shoulder.

"Not a chance, that was a one time thing!"

"I doubt it, Katara and I had to take turns sitting up there to learn how to keep from falling off."

"Sokka's right, Toph." Aang said, giving her a goofy smile, "The monks had children sit up on the head with them not only teach them how to properly sit on a flying bison, but how to fly as well."

"I don't need to know how to fly this fluff ball, in case you can't remember, I'm blind!" she snapped, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Toph." Kana growled in a warning tone.

"Are you _really_ using your mothering voice on me Water Mama… you're crossing your arms, aren't you?"

"Yup." She sang, making Toph scowl.

"Come on Twinkle Toes, why don't you try to teach the blind girl how to fly a giant death monster." She grumbled, crawling over to Appa's head – where Aang was already seated – leaving the two Water Tribe siblings staring dumbfounded at Kana.

"She hasn't quite figured out that she doesn't actually have to listen to me anymore."

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_He ran as fast as he could through the flames' nipping tongues, shadows dashing all around him. It was too unclear if these people were rebels, soldiers, or even just fleeing towns people for him to risk attacking. There was no way he could go on serious offense until he found some of his own people._

_But when a boulder flew at him from within the flames, he dove out of the way, sending a jet of fire in the direction of whoever had sent the projectile. "What do you think you're doing soldier?" he heard someone bark into his ear pulling him back by the collar._

_"Colonel Mongke, what are you doing here?"_

_"General Iroh sent me with a troop of soldiers, we had received information that rebels from Omashu planned on attacking this town."_

_"Well as you can see, the reports are accurate. It's a good thing you arrived when you did too."_

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Surprisingly, they walked around town without drawing any attention to themselves. Aang, Katara, and Sokka had on cloaks hiding the fact that they weren't Earth Kingdom citizens, or Fire Nation. Kana still wore Kyoshi's dress, and Toph was just Toph.

"The people in Yu Dao sure are friendly." Katara said offhandedly.

"Friendly for evil people." Sokka grumbled back, making Kana bump him playfully with a hip.

"Oh lighten up," she snickered, "we're in the oldest Fire Nation settlement in the world, and maybe if you go snooping around, you can find some deep dark secret to help take them down." At her words, Sokka's back suddenly went ramrod straight before he ran off, Katara hot on his heels.

"I'm going to make sure he doesn't get in to too much trouble!" she called back, waving.

"Penguin!" Aang screamed, dashing off to a children's toy store.

"I guess it's just you and me now, Toph," Kana smiled, "do you want to do anything?"

"Whatever's fine with me," she shrugged as they continued walking, "it's your vacation."

"I think I'd just like to walk around. It's nice to just take everything in."

"You're one strange chick, Water Mama." Toph snorted.

"What do you mean?"

"Well for one, no one just likes to walk around after finally arriving at a place they've waited to see for years, and secondly," she made a face at this, "you like Sokka."

"Wait, what?" Kana asked, putting a hand on Toph's shoulder to get her to stop.

"You're always teasing him, and your mood brightens when he's around-" she started before Kana doubled over in laughter, earning her a hard punch to the shoulder. "What?" Toph demanded.

"I don't like Sokka, Toph." Kana chuckled. "He's in love with my great-great-niece. I tease him because it's funny, and I'm happy around him because not only is he a friend, but because Yue loves him too!"

"You can like people that love someone else though," Toph argued, "I'm pretty sure Katara likes Aang, and he's in love with you." Kana's laughing demeanor halted immediately, and she stood up straight.

"First of all, Katara doesn't like Aang, I'm not even sure she'd know how to like someone who doesn't make it apparent that he likes her. There were no men in her village for her to know the signs, and second, Aang is in no way shape or form in love with me."

"Right, and I'm not the best Earthbender in the world." Toph snorted.

"Okay, we need to sit down, this conversation is going to become a history lesson, I just know it." After moving to an out of the way bench, Kana crossed her legs, and turned to her blind friend.

"What Aang and I have is very complicated," she started, "we share a soul."

"So what, he's more than in love with you, he's your soul mate?"

"Sharing a soul and being soul mates are very different things, though they sound similar. When someone finds their soul mate like Kuruk and Ummi, their love transcends life itself. Every life they have, they spend unknowingly searching for this person."

"How is that any different from sharing a soul?" Toph asked with crossed arms, making Kana chuckle.

"It's different because each person is another half of the whole. The connection Aang and I have spans back to the very beginning of the Avatar. We have shared, loved, died, hated, been to war, and everything else imaginable together. But there is one thing that will always keep us apart, and that's our duty to the world."

"But wouldn't being together make the world stronger?"

"Unfortunately no. When the spirits first decided to make the Avatar human, they couldn't agree on which nation should receive such a gift, so each spirit made their own Avatar, and decided whom they'd be born too. It is no surprise that the Air spirits decided to have a cycle to show fairness: Water, Earth, Fire, and Air."

"So Aang's the Air spirits Avatar." Toph said, and Kana nodded.

"That's right. Now the other spirits wanted different things besides fairness. Tui and La thought it'd be best to have the Avatar born as the natural opposite of the Air spirits Avatar to keep balance."

"But Aang's an Airbender, that means you should have been an Earthbender like me."

"Actually, I was born while Avatar Roku was still alive. Technically speaking, I was born to be _his_ opposite, not Aang's."

"But that's crazy! Why would you have been born so close to his death?" Toph exclaimed, throwing her arms out.

"You never let me finish explain before bombarding me with questions." Kana smiled lightly, "Now as I was saying," she gave a pointed look at Toph the the blind girl couldn't see it, "Tui and La wanted the world to remain in balance, so only when the world was thrown _out_ of balance would their Avatar be born."  
"Like when the Fire Nation was preparing for war in order to take over the world."

"Which happened close to Roku's death." Kana confirmed. "Now Agni had a much different approach to both of the Air and Water spirits. He wanted his Avatar to be born in whichever nation held the most power at the time. No matter how much one nation received this blessing; his Avatar would be able to grow stronger in an environment that would desire their growth, or at least, that's what he thought."

"What do you mean?" Toph asked, making Kana sigh.

"I'm getting there, be patient!" she scolded. "Now the Earth spirits were the most stubborn, so they decided that their Avatar would always be born in the Earth Kingdom, no matter what was going on in the world."

"I don't understand what this has to do with you and Aang not being able to fall in love!" Toph snapped, getting annoyed.

"One wanted balance, the other power. One wanted fairness, the other was uncompromising. Just as the spirits were this way, so were their Avatars. And as time went on, battles the world had never seen before were waged. Each had a different approach to how they should protect the world, and one was always standing in their way. In one of our lives, both Aang and I had killed the Avatar that was our opposite."

"But… if you're born opposite to the current Avatar, and that's the reason the other two were killed…"

Kana simply nodded.

"That can't be right!" she shouted, "You aren't his opposite, Water and Air get along just fine!"

"But there are still vast differences. It might take years, we might be at the end of our lives, but something will come up. And the way we will want to deal with it, will be so vastly different, a battle the likes of which the world has never been seen, shall again, be waged. But," Kana said fiercely, "sometimes you can beat the cycle, even if you lose."

"You're going to sacrifice yourself for him, aren't you?" Toph whispered, closing her eyes in pain as Kana said her next words.

"Yes I am."

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_Betrayal. It left a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had known he'd die in the heat of battle, but never expected it to be at the hands of an ally instead of an enemy. It wasn't as surprising as one might think though; Colonel Mongke was loyal to his uncle after all. The uncle that was so power hungry he'd apparently have his family killed._

_Yet as the town crackled with the raging inferno, and a pool of crimson blood collected around him, he found it was getting harder to think of anything but Tian. He never thought that it'd be worth dying for love. He had never actually seen true love, his mother died in childbirth, and his uncle and aunt had an arranged marriage. No there was no true love in his family life, so he was just glad he got to experience it, even for a short amount of time._

_He felt his chest rise, his heart beat, a tear fall; and knew it was the last time he'd do each of these things. With a dagger fitted snugly between his shoulder blades, he gave his last smile. It was worth it, for her._

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Aang never thought that a mini vacation could tire everyone out so quickly. He could understand how Katara could be sleepy, Sokka had been kicked out of a store and she had to convince the shopkeeper to not call the guards. What he didn't understand was how Kana, and especially Toph, was so tired. They had just walked around, and Toph was already asleep!

Appa's reigns were tightly wrapped around her hands to keep her from falling from his head, but now Aang was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Her head had rolled onto his shoulder when he had made a turn. So as he was flying everyone to _his_ chosen vacation spot, he had to decide whether it was worth it to let her sleep, or wake her up.

It could go any – painful – way with Toph. When this had happened with Katara, she had blushed and apologized. And when Sokka did the same thing, he drooled all over Aang's shoulder. There was only one thing to do. He turned his head around to ask Kana for help.

But when he went to ask for her advice he couldn't help but smile warmly. She was resting on Katara's lap, who was using Momo as a pillow, Sokka's head lolling back onto her belly, mouth open wide. It was a miracle that he wasn't snoring when positioned like that. It was such a warm scene that when he saw tears coming from her sleeping eyes, he couldn't fathom what they could possibly be about.

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_He sat in front of the gravestone, rain pounding on the ground. The black tendrils had returned, and encased everything but the man crying for his deceased son. "My beloved Lu Ten, I will see you again."_

.

**Ya, like we all didn't expect it to be Lu Ten -.- If you didn't, that makes me happy. I tried not to make it too obvious, maybe it was just obvious to me because I'm the writer. Also we finally have the history that comes with Kana's existence and ability to be another Avatar! I always thought that there should have been more than one so that what happened to Aang wouldn't plunge the world into total chaos. You guys agree? Anywaaaays, I HOPE YOU ALL LIKEd THIS CHAPTER.**

Character Questions Answered

Question for you the author: What was the random flashbacks about? The random italics? So confused!

Me: _Good, I'm glad, you're going to have to continue reading to find out why they were there ;P_

Question for Katara: So there have been no other Waterbenders in the Southern Water Tribe since your Mom died? Isn't there anyone who has scrolls or history books around? Or did the Fire Nation burn them up? Kind of touchy I know but curious anyways.

Katara: _My mother wasn't actually a Waterbender, though I did get my bending from her side. And yes, there were some scrolls, but none of them were about bending unfortunately. The Fire Nation destroyed most of our texts when they raided us, they were trying to wipe out our entire culture. I wish I understood why._

Question for Aang: So do you and Kana ever get together and compare notes about Avatar stuff? For example, if Roku told you one thing and Kana another thing, do you guys compare notes or do you just both get the same message?

Kana: _I know this was a question for Aang, but he's off training with Toph right now. I've never met Avatar Roku, and he's only seen Avatar Kyoshi, so we do compare notes I guess you could say. Also, it just depends on the situation about what message we receive, just like during the Winter Solstice how we both learned of the comet, but he was never told to do whatever it takes to learn Firebending._

And finally Zuko: I just feel so bad for you... :( it must be hard.

Zuko: _I don't need your pity._

Iroh:_ I don't think that was a question, my nephew, so you didn't actually have to answer._


	32. Chapter 11: The Library

**Legal necessities:**I went to the Library and found out I don't own this.

Chapter 11: The Library

"This is amazing!" Katara exclaimed, as Toph leapt from Appa's back.

"It really it, there are tons of Badgermole caves in this mountain!" she said happily.

"Sorry Toph, but we didn't come here for that, we came here because it's the perfect place to teach Kana how to use a glider." Aang grinned, grabbing both of said items, and throwing one at her.

"I thought the point of these vacations were to get _away_ from the stress of learning how to bend." She laughed jokingly, tapping the glider to the ground, opening the blue wings.

"What are you talking about? Gliding is the most relaxing thing in the world! Besides, this is your surprise for helping me to learn Earthbending. Don't worry, it's just going to be you getting off the ground without jumping off a cliff."

"Fine," Kana grinned, " but first, let's have some real fun! I'll race you to the peak of that mountain and back!" without waiting for an answer, she threw her glider into an open expanse of air, and leaped on. She was in free fall for a second or two before the air currents picked up the heavier than usual glider. When Kana looked up, Aang was already ahead of her, and that meant it was time to give him a surprise of her own.

She shot a jet of fire beneath him, signaling the beginning of the game. As he shot air at her, Kana banked hard to the left, barely missing yet another attack coming right at her. She spun in the air with a laugh, there was a reason it was called glider chicken cow! Not many people were willing to have a bending battle in the air, and those who were, usually had to call it off right in the middle of it so nobody was hurt. That's why, as a Waterbender, she refused to play. But now, now she had more tools in her arsenal.

She shot more fire at him, causing Aang to swerve off course, giving her enough time to shift higher than him. With a surge of adrenaline, Kana snapped her glider shut, and dove straight at the peak of the mountain they had been racing too. She landed harder than she expected, but without missing a beat, she used her staff to fling a boulder right at Aang.

She heard the crunch of earth as she soared away, back to where everyone was waiting to see who the winner was. Kana flipped onto her back for a moment, shooting a jet of fire at Aang, who was getting closer and closer with each second. She knew he was pushing himself, he had never lost a game of glider chicken cow, not even against Gyatso! But there was always a first time for everything!

Kana hit the ground running, stumbling until Katara caught her with a laugh. "Way to go, Water Mama!" Toph cheered, slugging her in the shoulder.

" I've never seen anyone play like that before." Aang grinned, landing smoothly.

"That's because the Air Nomads always tried to make you make a mistake." Kana smirked, "I think we can say I play a little more _offensively_."

"Well now I know your strategy, I'm going to beat you next time!"

"I want you to remember this day Aang," she laughed, looping an arm around his shoulder, "this is the day you lost your first battle, and the moment you made your worst enemy. Now, teach me how to get off the ground without leaping from the side of a cliff."

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"Good one, Twinkle Toes." Toph said sarcastically, flicking him in the head.

"I guess the oasis must have changed management." He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well we can't just stand here," Katara frowned, "let's go in." Everyone did as she told, but as they walked past the gates, the sign fell, smashing into several pieces. They trailed silently past the melting ice spring, a block dog licking at the ice for water. There was a mud hut with people loitering outside, and everyone just migrated in that direction. As the group walked in, Kana hesitated, casting a weary glance at the two men. They were Sanbenders, so there were no distinguishing characteristics that could be of them gave her a toothless grin, and she scuttled into the tavern quickly.

"One mango please." She heard someone ask. The bartender diced and sliced through the fruit hanging from the ceiling, and before she knew it, Sokka wanted one. He moved forward, shoving Aang and Toph in the process, causing the man who already had his drink to turn. The smoothie splashed all over Aang, earning a shocked silence.

"That's okay, I clean up easy." He smiled, blowing a puff of air from his body, the juice going with it.

"You're a living relic!" the man exclaimed in awe.

"Thanks, I try." Aang replied off handed. The man began to speak again, identifying himself as professor Zei. Kana yawned, though she would have been able to answer this man's questions better than Aang. She turned her head to the entrance again, and saw something incredible. Wanted posters. Her eyes focused on one of Zuko, and felt a slight chuckle rise in her chest. It wasn't very accurate. The scar wasn't on the left side, and the jaw was too wide, the gold for his eyes was the wrong color, and he wasn't angry enough. His ponytail was leaning to close to the right, and his ears wear a little too sharp. His head was too narrow, making her smirked at the mistakes.

"...Wan Shi Tong's Library." Kana's head turned around so fast she didn't have time to realize what she was doing, until she questioned the professor.

"What do you know about his library?" Everyone stared at her as if she had gone crazy, but her gaze remained steady on Zei.

"Only that it's in the desert somewhere." he mumbled, a bead of sweat forming on his brow. It was obious Zei felt intimidated under the girl's stare.

"Does this place have a map of the Fire Nation?" Sokka asked happily, making Kana cringe.

"Sokka I don't know if it's the best idea to go to a spirits library in the hopes of learning how to destroy people." She said.

"If it exists, it's in Wan Shi Tong's library." Professor Zei grinned.

"Then it's settled, Aang I do believe it's my turn. I'd like to spend my vacation… AT THE LIBRARY!"

"Of course there's the matter of finding it. I've made several trips into the Si Wong Desert, and almost died each time." Professor Zei said in a depressed voice. "I'm afraid that desert's impossible to cross." The group shared a look between them, before Sokka smiled.

"Professor, would you like to see our sky bison?"

"A sky bison, you actually have one?" Zei asked in amazement. He immediately jumped from his seat, and dashed outside. Everyone started to follow him, but Kana glanced one last time at the wanted posters, accidentally bumping into Aang.

"Hey, what are you looking at Kana?" he asked, looking back inside.

"Oh, nothing. Just these wanted posters, they made your ears a little too small." She joked, making him laugh.

"Well they made you a little too Fire Nation." Aang snickered, taking her poster down. "Hey guys, look at this!" he shouted running up to everyone – except Zei, who was talking to Appa – before she could stop him.

"Is this one of Wan Shi Tong's 'foxy' assistants?" Sokka asked, nudging Aang in the side with a wink, causing Kana's cheeks to flush.

"Um, Sokka… I think that's just Kana with gold eyes, paler skin, and a top knot." Katara said, peering over his shoulder.

"What!?" he shouted, "When did you ever wear this?"

"It's just an artist's interpretation of what I'd look like as Fire Nation!" she yelled back, yanking away the picture and shoving it into a pocket. It was of her wearing the dress at the Fire Days Festival.

"I can tell you're l-." Toph started, earning a shove from Kana.

"If we want to look for Wan Shi Tong's library, shouldn't we get going?" she coughed, making Zei's face light up.

"That we should little lady!" he grinned.

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"I say you guys go ahead without me." Toph said.

"You got something against libraries?" Katara asked, staring at her.

"I've held books before, and I gotta tell you, they don't exactly do it for me." she replied, making chuckle Kana as Katara gave a nervous laugh and scratched the back of her head.

"Oh, right. Sorry."

"Let me know if they have something you can listen to." she said as Sokka's boomerang, with a rope tied to it, was thrown through the window of the spire, and he began climbing the rope as Katara and Zei watched.

"Don't worry buddy. I'm not making you go underground ever again. You can stay out here with Toph." Aang said, patting the bison's side.

Aang walked away. Toph crossed her arms and both she and Appa looked away from each other, then looked back at each other, Appa giving a soft grunt. Both stare at each other a moment.

"What's up?" Toph asked, making Kana giggle before following everyone up the spire, and into the library.

"Oh, it's breath taking. The spirits spared no expense designing this place." Professor Zei exclaimed in awe turning around on the bridge they had landed on. The large room was supported by many pillars and archways, and was so large that darkness enveloped the corners. And over all of the arcs, the visage of an owl was carved into the stone. "Look at those beautiful buttresses!" Sokka and Aang burst into a fit of giggles, earning a simultaneous slap to the back of the head.

"What's funny?" Zei asked in confusion.

"Nothing," Aang said as Kana gave him a sharp glare, "we just like architecture."

"As do I." Zei grinned "The exquisite mosaic handiwork of this tile-rendered avian symbol is exquisite... uh, it's a nice owl."

Suddenly there was sound of rustling feathers, causing everyone to turn around in surprise.

Katara and Sokka ran behind the archways and hide behind a large pillar to the right. Aang took Zei's hand and pulled him behind the pillar on the left. Kana knew she should have ran, but for some reason she just didn't feel the need to.

An enormous black owl with a white face walked through an archway and onto the bridge. Aang peeked at the bird from behind the pillar where he saw him examining Kana. It began to turn its head to the left, then it turned its head around three hundred and sixty degrees, revealing two white spots on the back of its head that resemble eyes.

"The Moon's Avatar. It's been a long time. Since before Avatar Kyoshi killed you in fact." Kana felt a sudden twinge at that. She had never thought about the fact that she was obviously alive with Kyoshi, and she must have killed her… it suddenly made sense why the Earthbender was so adamant on giving her advice. Guilt, even in death.

"Anja and I have already forgive her for this, Wan Shi Tong, it's good to see you again." She murmured, bowing.

"I see you've brought company," the great owl said, turning to look at where everyone was hidden, "I know you're back there."

"Hello! I'm Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University." the professor said excitedly.

"Only the Avatar is welcomed in my library, you should leave the way you came, unless you want to become a stuffed head of anthropology." he growled looking at three mounted animal heads.

"That's great!" Aang said, walking from behind the pillar he was hiding behind. "I am the Avatar."

"Not you boy!" Wan Shi Tong snapped, neck springing out until it was right in front of him, before motioning back to Kana. "Her."

"What do you have against us?" Sokka asked, crossing his arms.

"Hmm, humans only bother learning things to get the edge on other humans, but if the Avatar is willing to vouch for you..." the owl said, staring down at Kana.

"She vouches, she'll definitely vouch for us!" Sokka grinned, slinging an arm around her shoulder, but she couldn't meet anyone's eyes.

"I... I can't..." Kana whispered guiltily.

"I'll vouch for everybody," Aang piped up, "I am the Avatar too."

"Very well. I'll let you peruse my vast collection, on one condition. To prove your worth as scholars, you have to contribute some worthwhile knowledge." Everyone glanced at each other, then formed a line. Kana pulled out the Fire Nation wanted poster like Aang did, but before she could offer it to the great owl, he held out a wing.

"Not you, child. We have a deal that goes back many lifetimes. I offer you a piece of my knowledge of your choosing."

"No," she said, shaking her head, and offering the wanted flyer, "Knowledge for knowledge."

"You still haven't changed child." Wan Shi Tong rumbled, swiping out a wing, his feathers brushing along her fingers as he took her offering. "Follow me, to complete our transaction… And enjoy the library." He droned to the others, leaping from the bridge, down to the bowls of the building.

Kana took the glider from her back, peering over the railing into the dark unknown, before turning her sharp gaze on Sokka. Her eyes were full of ice, frost spreading from her feet, a sudden draft of cold emanating from her. "Don't abuse this opportunity, _stay away from **anything** to do with the Fire Nation." _She didn't wait for his response, or any of theirs for that matter, she just flung herself off of the bridge, her gliders wings snapping open.

The glowing green lanterns barely lit the way as she spiraled down after the great owl, her muscles coiled for anything that might jump out at her. But she landed safely on the ground, right in front of Wan Shi Tong. He didn't say anything, just turned knowing she'd follow, and started down a corridor. Kana kept the silence, though her eyes roved over every book she could see lined on the shelves. She imagined that this would be the ideal place to stay when the spirits re-took the world.

"You won't find what you're looking for," Wan Shi Tong droned, emotionless, as he turned his head around to stare at her, "you never do. Not until you discover the beginning."

"The beginning?" She asked, but he just turned back away walking through a surprisingly normal sized archway. There was a carving of the great owl, his wings spread over the door, and beneath each, two elemental symbols of the Avatar. Kana moved through into a room that only had three significant attributes. One: it was a room – an actual room, two: the walls were lined with books, yet one of them had space left for more, and finally three: there was a pedestal in the middle holding up what seemed like a collection of texts all in one.

Kana moved to the wall that still held space for more writings, and crouched down to see what was on the shelf. Her heart skipped a beat. _The history of Avatar Roku. Avatar Kyoshi and Anja, Kuruk and Zalec, Yangchen, _and more, they just kept going. This was the section of the library that held the entire history of every Avatar that ever existed. So… what was that book on the pedestal?

She took a deep breath before standing, then moving over to the dais, heart pounding in excitement. She leaned over and flipped the text shut, and felt a shudder run up her spine. _The ongoing history of Wan Shi Tong and the Avatar._ "The beginning is what you always come to remember." The owl said, placing the two wanted posters given to him in a blue bound book with gold with yellow words, and she felt another shiver. _The history of Avatar Kana and Aang- incomplete._

"Why isn't Aang's name first?" she whispered.

"You came before him, he is second to you." He replied back simply, the book disappearing in his wings. "Read, so you may take your knowledge from me."

She winced, but did as he said, opening the leather bound book in front of her to the first page. The chapter title did not surprise her, _The Beginning._

_The beginning of the Avatars came as a solution. The corruption of people who could no longer bend the energy given to them was spreading, and the spirits needed a solution, so they came to me._

_"The solution," I said, "was simple. Give the people a fragment of your own energy, as they are no longer able to bend their own." The spirits complied, but without the unity that came from such a similar entity, war broke out. The spirits blamed me, accused me of trickery. They did not ask the outcome of this plan, so they brought their own destruction. They asked how they could end the war, I said, "Pick the person you think the most worthy, and give them the power to bend all of your energy."_

_They asked how they could choose the most worthy. So again I gave them the answer. "Gather the spirits who in their next life will be human, and you believe are worthy. Each of you will choose six so that there is a fair number of twenty-four candidates. Construct an arena where your energies exist, but they don't. They shall play a game, and those who lose shall know they are unworthy. The punishment for failure is simple. They will remain in the Spirit World for another one hundred years; the game shall be a fight to the death-_

Kana recoiled as if the book had burned her, bile building in her throat. She rushed to the door, collapsing on her knees as she took deep breaths to calm herself. _One hundred years._ She thought, eyes pinching shut in pain. "Hmm, you have never had this reaction to the beginning before. How fascinating." Wan Shi Tong rumbled, gliding next to her.

She shook her head, "I killed them." She shuddered.

"Who?" the bird asked.

"Sokka, Katara, Toph… Zuko. I know they were in the games with Aang and me!"

"I guess that is a possibility. You were most likely allies picked off by other candidates. Human's are so petty, a friendship with the person who killed you seems unlikely."

"Allies?" she whispered.

"If you had finished reading the beginning, you would have realized that all of the candidates are placed in a single arena. Most of them are smart enough to make alliances."

"So I didn't kill them?" she croaked. There was a movement by Wan Shi Tong's head that she took for a shrug.

"The games do not concern me. You've only managed to surprise me a handful of times. I doubt it would have made a difference if I had bothered to watch."

"I guess that's why they call you _He who knows 10,000 things._" Kana sneered.

"Are you questioning my intelligence?" the bird asked, bringing its face level to hers.

"You doubt my ability to improvise and improve past what I already know. You underestimate me, Wan Shi Tong."

"There is no reason to fear you, there is no reason to study you either. You never change."

"Fire."

"Hmm?"

"I want a book on Firebending. To make it stronger, hotter, like Azula's. I'm going to give you something to fear in my next life."

"You've been saying that for a thousand years," the bird said, handing her a white book with blue letters. _The Truth of Fire._ "You still haven't fulfilled your promise." Kana smirked, storing the text in her robes.

"Perhaps not, but I'll most likely be a Firebender in my next life. And I'll already have the knowledge of how to master that element to its full extent. You're going to need to learn how to fear, Wan Shi Tong."

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"If we die, you can all blame Kana." Toph felt as if someone had punched through her gut. Everything was just as Kana said; they were slowly ripping each other apart, yet they didn't even know it. And the only way this brutal cycle was going to end was if one of them killed the other in the Avatar state. Both had done it once before to the Fire and Earth Avatars, what was to stop them from doing it to each other?

.

**Boy these cliffhangers just keep coming. I don't even mean to do it, but oh well XD. Also, I'M HALFWAY DONE WITH THE STORY! Thanks to all of you who've stuck by my side for this long.**

No character questions


	33. Chapter 12: The Desert

**Legal Notice:** Even in the farthest reaches of the desert, I don't own this.

Chapter 12: The Desert

"Aang, I don't remember what I did!" Kana screamed back at him.

"Because of you, Appa's gone!" he yelled, "Toph would have been able to protect Appa if it wasn't for you!"

"Me?" she snarled, "It's because of you, I _warned_ you not to abuse Wan Shi Tong's trust, but the moment I left, you did the opposite of what I said!"

"So you're protecting him, is that it?" he hollered.

"That's our job," she shrieked back, "and if you haven't realized that yet, than you're obviously not ready to be the Avatar!" Aang's face twisted down into something terrifying, something she had never seen before. It was bestial; it was the look of someone who could win the spirits games.

"I'm going to find Appa, if we die, you can all blame Kana." He snapped out the wings of his glider, and leaped from the sand, leaving everyone stranded in the desert.

"Aang, wait! We have to stay together!" Katara shouted, but he just kept going. Kana turned to Sokka in a fury, blue eyes spitting fire.

"You," she snarled, stalking forward, "I told you to stay away from anything to do with the Fire Nation!"

"The intelligence was worth, we found out there's a solar eclipse coming that's going to stop all Firebending!"

"You just made an enemy out of an all knowing spirit, Sokka! Do you even understand what that means?"

"I don't care what that giant bird does to me, it's worth it to stop the Fire Nation."

"Wan Shi Tong doesn't take revenge, he teaches lessons." Kana shook her head furiously, "I hope for your sake this lesson doesn't involve someone you care about."

"We need to get going," Katara murmured moving between them, "we have to get this information to Ba Sin Se."

"You think if we dig out that giant owl he'll give us a ride?" Before anyone could react, Kana spun around, and slapped him across the face.

QQQQQQQQQQ

_"Fire of the Dragon." Kana said, looking from the great owl to the book he had handed to her._

_"Written by your pas life Houjin, it is said that she was the most powerful firebender to ever exist."_

_"So this is the history of her life than?" she asked._

_"No this is the journal used to document her studies. Some of her life has been recorded in this to help explain her findings though." Kana glanced back at Wan Shi Tong, opening the book in her hands. The calligraphy was written in a flowing script that devoured the page. Not only did she recognize the feathery stroke of the brush that made the markings on white as her own, but she recognized this wasn't regular calligraphy either._

_It was woman's speech. Something only taught to girls in secret, passed from one mother to the other. It was used mostly in times of war, as a way to communicate without being censored. Taught by the Air Nomads from the Eastern and Western Air Temples it was the most used form when two women wrote to each other. Kana herself had actually been taught by Hariti, it sent a slight pang to her heart at seeing this._

_Orange fire is the first fire produced by Firebenders, and it is often the only one people try to master. It is the combination of all emotions working together in harmony, mostly it is made up of the red and yellow flames, but on occasion another color could be mixed in as well. It isn't the most effective – though it works quite well obviously – however it is the safest._

_Any other fire has dangerous risks to accomplish, only masters of the mind and body could achieve success. It has taken me a lifetime to master the fires I have, and all of the power that comes with it, including lightning. There is one flame that has eluded me, and though I could go on about my inability to complete this journal, I will try to be as much help to the next person who reads this._

_Just like any beginning, I will start off on the first – or rather the second – fire that comes naturally to every Firebender. The red fire of rage. It comes the most often, and is close to being the most powerful, but it is near unsustainable. Every person harbors that deep feeling, the bottomless pit that rest in one's heart, but the human body is physically incapable of sustain such destructive power… Or maybe I just don't want to._

_"It seems that your friends are unable to stay true to their word. Come with me, child." Wan Shi Tong droned, shocking Kana from the pages of the book. The great owl glided out of the room holding the books of her and Aang's past lives, and she wished she could read them all. But she let out a sigh while leaving, and in the corner of her eye she saw a fox peeking at her._

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"Can't you watch where you're –" Sokka started, breathing hard before seeing who he'd run into.

"No." Toph snapped at him

"Right. Sorry." He coughed.

"Come on guys, we've got to stick together." Katara said turning, obviously forcing false enthusiasm into her voice.

"Katara, we're in the middle of the desert with only two pouches of water. Your optimism gets rather upsetting." Kana groaned.

"Besides, if I sweat anymore I'm not sure sticking together will be a problem." Sokka commented, trying to pry himself off of Toph's clothes.

"Kana, can I have some water?" she asked, shoving him away with one hand.

"We have to preserve our water," Katara interrupted before Kana could assent, "here, open your mouths." Everyone did as she said, and an orb of cool liquid was placed on their tongues.

"You too, Katara." Kana told her softly, making the other girl take a reluctant swig from the water skin.

"We're using your bending water?" Sokka asked before shouting, "you used this on the swamp guy!"

"Look, I'm sorry, but it's all we have." Katara apologized, causing her brother to pout until he saw something green.

"Not anymore, look!" he grinned, pointing to a large cactus a little off their path. He walked up to it, cut a piece off with his knife, and drained the liquid content into his mouth along with Momo.

"Sokka, wait! You shouldn't be eating strange plants!" Katara grabed Toph's wrist and ran over to Sokka and Momo, Kana trailing behind them.

"There's water trapped inside these!" Sokka held up some cactus for Katara, but she backed away, pushing Toph back as well. He turned to Kana then, offering her the same. She took it from his hands, and sniffed the inside slightly. It smelt sweet.

"I don't know..."

"Suit yourself. It's very thirst-quenching, though. Drink cactus juice. It'll quench ya! Nothing's quenchier. It's the quenchiest!" Katara took the proffered cactus bowl from Kana and poured it quickly to the ground with one of her mothering looks of aggrivation.

"Okay, I think you've had enough."

"Who lit Toph on fire?" Sokka asked, poking her in the head, as Momo spun in a circle in the air and dive bombed to the ground.

"Can I get some of that cactus?" Toph questioned Katara, knowing Kana would just give her, her own look.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Come on, we need to find Aang." Katara sighed; about to pull her brother away, before Kana stopped her.

"I think we should take the cactus juice."

"Are you crazy, after what it did to Sokka?"

"I'd rather have one of us sane and the others delusional if it means we're all alive." Kana responded, taking a bending stance. "Here, take my water."

Kana bended the water into Katara's water skin before guiding as much cactus juice as possible into her own pouch. She cored it, and sighed as Sokka tried to hug, saying something about a fuzzy bender, whatever that was.

QQQQQQQQQQ

_"Sokka, what did you do!?" Kana screamed from the doorway of what Wan Shi Tong called the planetarium._

_"You are not the only human that is predictable, child." The great owl drawled, moving closer to everybody.__"You betrayed my trust. From the beginning you intended to misuse this knowledge for evil purposes."_

_ "You don't understand. " Sokka argued, "If anyone's evil, it's the Fire Nation. You saw what they did to your library. They're destructive and dangerous. We need this information."_

_ "You think you're the first person to believe their war was justified? Countless others before you have come here, seeking weapons or weaknesses or battle strategies."_

_ "We had no choice. Please, we're just desperate to protect the people we love." Aang pleaded to the spirit, whose feathers were beginning to ruffle._

_"And now I'm going to protect what I love. It's time to fulfill your end of the bargain child. Protect my library." Kana felt her limbs stiffen in pain as she slammed into the door frame of the planetarium. She could feel the anger building, the hatred of millions. She grunted once, before losing herself in the glow._

QQQQQQQQQQQ

"I'm sorry, Aang. I know it's hard for you right now, but we need to focus on getting out of here." Katara said, when Aang descended from the sky.

"What's the difference? We won't survive without Appa. We all know it." He groaned hopelessly.

"Come on, Aang! We can do this if we work together. Right, Toph?"

"As far as I can feel, we're trapped in a giant bowl of sand pudding. I got nothin'."

"Sokka? Any ideas how to find Ba-Sing-Se?" Sokka and Momo were both lying on their backs and staring at the sky. Sokka smiled blissfully and pointed upward.

"Why don't we ask the circle birds?"

"Kana?" Katara pleaded, face falling in defeat. Kana turned her eyes to her, then to everyone else, and finally to the buzzard wasps circling overhead. They were all hopeless – except the hungry buzzard wasps.

"Our biggest problem is the sun and heat," she said slowly, "Toph and I could make a tunnel under the sand, and with my Firebending I can light the way as well."

"Aang could help too." Katara exclaimed, pulling Sokka and Toph to their feet.

"If he wants." Kana said between clenched teeth.

""You think I don't want to help get us out of this desert?" he growled at her, and she turned her back on him.

"I didn't say that." She hissed tightly, ending the conversation by bending a sand tunnel.

"Let's wait until the sun goes down to keep going, we should all try to get some rest." Katara murmured, placing a careful hand on both of their shoulders, and leading them both inside. They didn't go much farther than getting out of the sun, so that there would still be a bit of light before sitting down. Kana didn't hesitate to take out _Fire of the Dragon_, and flipping to where she had left off.

"Is that from Wan Shi Tong's library?" Aang asked in an accusatory tone.

"Yes," she snapped raising her chin defensively, "the one he gave me in exchange for protecting his library. The library you destroyed."

"I didn't destroy it, you and that crazy bird did!" he screamed at her. Kana just snarled at him, then turned back to her book.

"Learn to pick your fights, Twinkle Toes," she heard Toph say, "don't take on someone who has more experience than you, and on a moral basis, don't fight friends just because you're angry."

"It's more than that, Toph. It's her fault Appa's gone." He spat out venomously, and she blocked out his voice with gritted teeth. It wasn't her fault, it was his. She glared down at _Fire of the Dragon_ and flipped through the pages.

_Yellow, this fire has to do with joy and happiness. It is no wonder that I discovered this on my wedding day._Kana was sad to say that she wasn't ready for that fire. Maybe someday, just not today. _Green has to do with ambition, greed, and jealousy. I saw a little girl, about five and she was nothing short of a prodigy. It looked as if she might even one day surpass me._She was practically raised by an Air Nomad, they valued excluding oneself from material values which green had to deal with. That was out to, and her temper was beginning to wear thin.

She crossed out color after color because there was something always wrong with it. Orange she could already do, but the others: red, yellow, green, purple, blue – she stopped. There was only one sentence. _What I gained from going to Wan Shi Tong's library; the root of all knowledge._

QQQQQQQQQQ

"_For the last time, I don't want to snuggle." Toph said, leaning against Appa, who had just groaned. Suddenly he got to his feet, stomping the ground. "The library's sinking. The library's sinking!"_

_Toph slammed her fists into the stone walls of the building, trying to keep it from burying itself into the ground. She felt a strange pulling on her ankles from the sand, and realization hit her hard in the gut. She knew what this was, she had experienced the same thing in the water before. It was a whirlpool, which could only mean one thing. Kana was sinking the library._

QQQQQQQQQQ

Kana and Aang weren't speaking, or even looking at each other. They even had the rest of the group between them, Sokka leaning heavily against Kana muttering into her ear. She liked it though, it kept her mind occupied.

"Kana," Katara murmured, shifting to walk alongside her, "You need to talk to him."

"No." she said resolutely.

"He's running from the problem, you're trying to find a different way around the obstacle, one of you has to compromise."

"And you think it should be me?" Kana snapped, making Katara recoil from the pure venom in her voice.

"I thought you would be the one who would be willing to confront the problem." She croaked. She'd never seen either of them so angry without being in the Avatar State.

"Well I'm not! I'm not someone you run to as a second option that you only use because it didn't work out with _him_."

"Oh come on little lady, don't be on fire in the middle of the ocean, that's bad for your health." Sokka giggled.

"Kana, I didn't mean-" Katara tried.

"Just shut up, Katara!" Kana yelled, making everyone turn to stare at her. "Why do you always need to fix things?"

"I don't-"

"Well not everything can be fixed, and this is one of those things, so drop it!" Kana tried to stomp away, but Katar caught her shoulder.

"No, I won't." she said with steel in her voice. "You two are more than family, you couldn't bear to be without each other. Remember when you woke up on Appa, and Kana wasn't there?" she asked, leveling her stare at Aang. "You were out of your mind, it took everything we had to convince you she wanted it that way. You wouldn't even talk to me or Sokka until we reached the Souther Air Temple."

"And Kana, remember when you went into the Avtar State at the North Pole, and how you felt when you discovered you had hit Aang?" Katara glanced between the two of them, trying to make her point. "What happened to Appa was a tragedy, but we can't let it tear us apart."

"I'm not ready to forgive." Aang whispered, unable to meet Katara's eyes. "Not yet."

"But you'll try?" she probed, and he nodded. She looked to Kana with so much pain, it nearly broke her heart that she had caused it. She nodded once, and the tension from Katara's shoulder left almost instantly. "Okay… Sokka, let me see the scrolls you took from the library."

Sokka reeled back and clutched his bag full of scrolls to his chest in a panic. "What! I didn't steal anything! Who told you that?!" he shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Momo. "It was you! You ratted me out!"

"Sokka, I was there." Katara sighed, taking the bag from him/

"It doesn't matter. None of those will tell us where Appa is." Aang whispered.

"No, but we can find out which way Ba-Sing-Se is. We can use the stars to guide us. That way we can travel at night when it's cool and rest during the day." She said before sighing. "Just try to get some sleep. We'll start again in a few hours."

They all sat on the ground, curling into themselves. Toph was the only one between Kana and Aang, it wasn't what Katara wanted, but it was more than she expected. If asked, Kana would say that it was only for the Waterbender's sake, but that was a lie. The anger was gone, and all that was left was a dull sting right in the middle of her chest. A hole with ragged edges. _I think I prefer anger._ She thought to herself.

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"Aang, you have to keep her distracted when she breaks through!" Sokka shouted, turning the dials on the stone calendar. The door to the planetarium was shut tight, and they could hear the sound of Kana trying to beat her way in. Brandishing his glider, it felt as if all of Aang's nerves were on fire. He didn't want to have to fight her, she didn't know what she was doing while in the Avatar State.

Suddenly the noise on the other end of the door went silent. "I got it!" Sokka whooped, "The day of the solar eclipse!" just as he finished, the wall exploded in front of them, and they were met with to hateful glowing eyes. Aang blasted a gust of air at her, and Kana went flying backwards. He grabbed Sokka's wrist, and ran as fast as possible.

Yet even with their head start, both boys could hear her right behind them, it was only a matter of time before she caught up! With a kick they were in the air, carried by the orange wings of the glider. Together they flew as fast as possible to the exit blocked by a rabid Wan Shi Tong.

With a burst of sudden inspiration, Sokka let go of Aang, diving through the air and slamming a stole tomb into the owls skull. There was a jet of fire blocked by a water whip from Katara, signaling that Kana had caught up. "Everyone up!" he shouted, helping his sister up the rope.

They only got halfway before Wan Shi Tong began to awaken, the rope detaching from the windowsill. Aang soared down, catching it, and started to head towards the window. Sokka could practically feel his hear explode as he watched Kana run up the owls back, and grab the end of the rope.

She raised a fist to blast him with fire, but before she could, they flew through the window, and the glow left her eyes.

QQQQQQQQQQ

"Ahhh... Finally! Solid ground!" Toph sighed, falling flat , creating an earth angel in the rock surface.

"I think my head is starting to clear out the cactus juice. And look!" Sokka exclaimed grabing some sticky substance off the side of a cave wall, giving some to Momo as he eats it. He quickly spit it out and made a disgusted gagging noise. "This tastes like rotten penguin meat! Awww I feel woozy."

"You've been hallucinating on cactus juice all day and then you just lick something you find stuck to the wall of a cave?!" Katar shouted, irritated.

"I have a natural curiosity."

"More like a natural stupidity!" Kana snapped.

"I don't think this is a normal cave. This was carved by something." Toph said, shifting from foot to foot.

"Yeah... look at the shape." Aang agreed.

"There's something buzzing in here. Something that's coming for us!" Everyone ran back out of the cave as a buzzing noise started echoing from the caves. Toph and Aang screamed as buzzard wasps flew from the caves and attacked, Aang tackling Toph to the ground to keep a wasp from getting her.

Several of the creatures emerged from the cave and began to screech. Aang swings his staff down at one that approaches and blows it back with a gust of air. A buzzard wasp lands near Toph, sensing it she bends a pillar of rock up from beneath it, sending it flying.

Kana brings out a whip of water, slicing one in half with a surgical precision. "I'm out of water to bend!" Katara shouted.

"Take mine!" Kana yelled, passing the liquid over to her friend, and sliding seamlessly into a Firebending stance.

"Momo!" Aang screamed, "No, I'm not losing anyone else out here!"

"Kana, come on, we're going down!" she ran forward towards everybody, shooting blasts of fire at anything that got too close. They made it halfway down before pillars of sand rose into the air, scaring away all of the buzzard wasps.

"What are you doing in our land with a sandbender sailer? From the looks of it, you stole it from the Hami tribe." a man said, removing his mask.

"We found the sailer abandoned in the desert. We're traveling with the Avatar. Our bison was stolen and we have to get to Ba Sing Se." Katara exclaimed. A younger sandbender next to the - obvious - leader stepped forward, and raised his voice, clenching his fist.

"You dare accuse our people of theft while you ride in on a stolen sand sailer?"

"Quiet, Gashuin. No one accused our people of anything. If what they say is true, we must give them hospitality." the man snapped.

"Sorry, father."

"I recognize the son's voice. He's the one that stole Appa." Toph whispered, making Kana's back stiffen.

"Are you sure?" she hissed.

"I never forget a voice." she answered, and Aang took several steps towards the Sandbenders, brandishing his staff with a snarl.

"You stole Appa!" he shouted, "Where is he? What did you do to him?"

"They're lying! They're the thieves!" Gashuin shouted. Aang swung his staff down and obliterated a sand sailer with a blast of air, in a blind rage.

"Where is my bison?! You tell me where he is now!" The Sandbenders watch in shock as Aang swung the end of his staff upward and destroyed another sand sailer. Kana rushed forward, grabbing his shoulder, but he just blew her away, back into Sokka.

"What did you do?" the leader yelled at his son.

"I-It wasn't me!"

"You said to put a muzzle on him!" Toph shouted, pointing with a snarl.

"You muzzled Appa?!" Aang screamed, eyes and arrows beginning to glow as he began to enter the Avatar State. He twirled his staff around, demolishing one of the few remaining sand sailers.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know that it belonged to the Avatar!" Gashuin pleaded.

"Tell me where Appa is!" Aang demanded, his voice echoing in a monstrous tone.

"I traded him! To some merchants! He's probably in Ba Sing Se by now! They were going to sell him there! Please! We'll escort you out of the desert! We'll help however we can!" the Sandbender said, recoiling with fright. The air around Aang slowly began to pick up and spin around as he finally fully entered the Avatar State, pulling in the sand, creating a vortex around them.

"Just get out of here! Run!" Sokka yelled, grabbing Toph by the shoulders and pulling her away from Aang. Katara, however, stays and faces the danger with Kana paralyzed next to her. Aang slowly lifted from the ground, the sand tornado growing larger, and spreading quicker. Katara made her way through the fierce wind and grabbed Aang's wrist. He looked down at her with anger and hate, and that's when Kana's heart breaks.

She was scared, just as he was when she was in the Avatar State. He was right, this was all her fault. She should have fought against Wan Shi Tong, she should have never allowed something like a contract made between one of her past live, and a spirit make her nearly kill someone she loved. The pain in her chest spread from a gaping hole, and became everything that she was. She would never hurt him, she didn't know if she could survive without him by her side. She had never let the thought that someday she _would have to kill him_ completely go. But she did now, the pain in her chest all-consuming, it was the ultimate teacher. The root to all knowledge.

Katara brought Aang back to the ground, hugging him by the shoulders, Sokka and Toph letting their hands down from shielding their faces. The wind started to become less violent as Kana made her way through the still violent gales, wrapping her arms around him as well. Tears streamed from his glowing eyes, both Katara and Kana holding onto each other, doing their best not to let go of him. The wind finally died down, and Aang slipped out of the Avatar State, his head resting against Katara, Kana supporting his weight.

"I'm so sorry, Aang."

.

**This is a lot longer than I expected. I thought it'd only be around 2,000 words, but it's double that! Guess it just comes to show that the characters like to take over. Also, HBDLFHIOASBDFKDJANS MY FRIEND DREW PICTURES OF KANA! GO TO MY PROFILE AND LOOK AT THEM!**

No character questions


	34. Chapter 13: A Serpents Path

**Legal Notice:** I would be taking a serpent's path if I lied, and said I owned this.

Chapter 13: A Serpents Path

"I bet I can make a bigger water bomb than you, Katara." Kana challenged with a teasing lilt to her voice.

"You're not the only master Waterbender anymore," Katara smirked, "you're on!"

"On the count of three, we go. One-"

"Wait!" Katara exclaimed, "I have a better idea. Aang, could you come up here for a moment?"

"Coming!" the two girls heard him shout, before zooming up the cliff using his Airebending. "What is it, Katara?"

"Aang, would you make a water bomb with us?" she asked, excitedly.

"I thought this was a contest?" Kana said, lips spreading up into a grin.

"But can you imagine three Waterbender's diving into the water? It would be the biggest splash in the history of the world!" Aang laughed, catching on.

"Exactly!" Katara beamed, eyes sparkling, "So Kana, what do you think?"

"I think… that we should all link arms before going down!" Both of them let out a whoop, before grabbing onto her arms. "Okay, now on the count of three-"

They didn't even wait until she finished her sentence before pulling her down. Together they hit the calm surface of the lake, making it explode upward into the sky so forcefully it went higher than the cliff they had been standing on. Toph recoiled back with a shocked shout, as Sokka and his precious maps were drenched.

"Sure, five-thousand year old maps from the spirit library, just splash some water on 'em." Sokka groaned, holding out dripping parchment.

"Sorry." Aang laughed, swimming up to him.

"Stop being so serious Sokka, have some fun once in a while." Kana snickered, as she and Katara emerged from the pool, wringing water out of their hair. They glanced at each other before bursting into a fit of giggles. They watched with mild amusement as the two boy's let their jaws drop, and Toph sat up straighter.

"What, what can't I see that's got your numb skull's hearts going haywire?" she asked, making them both shake their heads furiously.

"You've got a little drool, you two," Kana added, pointing at the corner of her mouth, "right about here."

"We do not!" Sokka argued, wiping his entire arm across his face.

"Right." She drawled, shifting into a bending stance, and pulling the water from his scroll as everyone crowded around him.

"So, did you figure out what route we're gonna take?" Aang asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"Okay. We just got out of the desert, so we must be around here, and we need to go to Ba Sing Se, which is here. It looks like the only passage connecting the South to the North is this sliver of land called the Serpent's Pass." Sokka answered, pointing at each figure on the map as he spoke.

"That doesn't sound like the best idea." Kana said, brow furrowing.

"I agree with Water Mama on this one." Toph agreed with crossed arms, nodding.

"It's the only way, I mean it's not like we have Appa to fly us there."

"Shush up about Appa. Can't you at least try to be sensitive?" Katara scolded her brother in a hushed tone, making everyone look up Aang.

"Katara, it's okay. I know I was upset about losing Appa before, but I just want to focus on getting to Ba Sing Se, and telling the Earth King about the solar eclipse." he said calmly, making Kana wince. Liar.

"Oh, well, okay." Katara coughed in surprise. "I'm glad you're doing better."

"Then to Ba Sing Se we go, no more distractions." Sokka declared, right before a trio of Earth kingdom citizens appeared.

"Hello there fellow refugees!" A young man, who seemed to be in his twenties shouted, standing next to a very pregnant young woman and a teen-aged girl, making Sokka's expression turn sour.

"Well hello there." Kana said cheerfully, waving back, before walking over to the small group of refugees.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Katara asked, looking at the woman with concern.

"Oh no, it should be fine. We should be arriving in Ba Sing Se before our little one decides to come." She laughed, patting her swollen belly.

"So you guys are going to Ba Sing Se too?" Aang asked with a slight smile.

"Yup, my wife Ying, Tahn, and I hope to make a better life behind the walls of the great city."

"Great, we can travel through The Serpent's Pass together." Katara smiled, but the three travels recoiled in horror at her suggestion.

"The Serpent's Pass?" Ying exclaimed, "Only the truly desperate take that deadly route!"

"Deadly route." Toph repeated before punching Sokka in the shoulder painfully. "Nice pick, Meat Head."

"You should come with us to Full Moon Bay. Ferries take refugees across the lake. It's the fastest way to Ba Sing Se. "

"Than's right, and it's hidden, so the Fire Nation can't find it." Ying agreed.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm all for the deadly pass." Kana said, crossing her arms sarcastically.

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"Tickets and passports please." a young woman said firmly, sticking her hand out under Sokka's nose.

"Is there a problem?" He asked nervously.

"Yeah, I've got a problem with you." she snapped, poking her

finger at his chest, "I've seen your type before, probably sarcastic, think your hilarious, and let me guess, you're traveling with the Avatar."

"Do I know you?" Sokka asked, eyes narrowing.

"You mean you don't remember?" a sweet voices said from behind him, "Maybe you remember this." Sokka started to turn, but a hand grabbed his face and pulled it down gently, yet forceful. There was a flash of white, and he pulled away from the kiss breathlessly.

"Yue!" he shouted, making her jump into his arms.

"Sokka, I'm so happy to see you again!"

"You look so different, what happened to going to the South Pole?" he asked.

"I'll explain everything in a minute, meet me and Suki up that tower." She said pointing, before running off.

"Where is she going?" Sokka pouted, making Suki laugh.

"To tell that crabby lady at the counter that we're taking a break. She's a stickler for the rules. Come on, we'll meet her at the tower." Sokka practically ran in the direction of the stairs, leaving the others to trail at a more leisurely pace behind him. Kana slowed her pace to walk next to Suki, she seemed a little sad.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"What? Oh, yes. You're Kana, right?"

"Yeah, and you're Suki, I would notice the posture of a Kyoshi Warrior anywhere." Kana hesitated before speaking again. "You know, sometimes it's easier to tell a stranger than a friend."

"It's nothing. I'm just disappointed, I thought the next time I saw Sokka…"

"He wouldn't be in love with somebody else?" Kana supplied, making Suki nod.

"I don't blame him though." She sighed, "Yue is so beautiful, and patient, and kind hearted. It'd be strange if he _didn't _like her!"

"Who likes who?" Yue asked, catching up to the two girls.

"Sokka likes you." Suki said with a forced smile, making Yue blush slightly as they reached the top of the tower.

"You two look so different!" Katara gushed as soon as they were on the landing.

"It's the uniforms, that crabby lady at the counter makes all security guards wear them." Suki supplied, leaning against the wall.

"Are there any other Kyoshi Warriors around?" Aang asked, staring at his now makeup-less friend.

"Yeah, after you left Kyoshi we wanted to find some way to help people. We ended up escorting some refugee's, and around the same time ran into Yue's convoy."

"When I heard that Suki and the girls knew you, and what they were doing, I wanted to help." Yue added with a nod.

"But how, you aren't a fighter, you could get hurt!" Sokka exclaimed, distressed.

"The girls and I have been giving her lessons." Suki jumped in before Sokka could have a heart attack. "She's a natural. Though she had a little trouble with the more solid movements."

"The Kyoshi Warrior fighting style is based on Air and Earthbending so we had to shift it a little so it's more fluid, like Waterbending."

"Worked like a charm, she's advancing through the sets quite fast."

"Suki says I'll be able to move onto the advanced intermediate training soon."

"What I don't get is why you started training in the first place." Kana said, sitting on the windowsill next to Suki.

"It's my duty to help my people, and to help them, I have to be able to protect them. After what happened at the North Pole, after what happened to _you_, I realized being a symbol of hope isn't nearly enough."

"But what about your father, he almost lost you, I almost lost!" Sokka shouted, making Yue frown.

"My father understands, I was hoping you would too."

"I- I do," he stuttered, "I just-"

"I know, Sokka." She murmured, taking his hands in hers. "I know."

"So why aren't you guys just flying to Ba Sing Se on Appa?" Suki asked, a little to loudly.

"Appa is missing." Katara murmured sadly, looking to Aang, who just ignored her. "We hope to find him in Ba Sing Se."

"I'm so sorry to hear that." she whispered guiltily, glancing at Aang with concern "Are you doing okay?"

"I'm doing fine." he snapped, "Would everybody stop worrying about me!"

"Avatar Aang, you have to help us!" Ying shouted from below the tower, "Someone took all of our belongings. Our passports, our tickets. Everything's gone!"

"I'll talk to the lady for you!" he yelled back, moving to the stairs. Kana waited until everyone left before following, her eyes meeting Aang's for a single second, but he jerked his head away as if burned. The gnawing on her chest was back as she thought one thing; _Aang had lied about being all right._

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"I can't believe we gave up our tickets, and now we're going through the Serpent's Pass." Sokka complained.

"Stop being such a baby, Sokka." Kana sighed, rubbing her temples.

"Water Mama's right, you've been complaining since we left." Toph agreed.

"I'm coming too." Yue shouted, rushing to catch up to group, clad in simple blue dress, hair pulled back into a pony tail.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Sokka asked, nervously.

"Sokka, I can take care of myself now, I want to show you that you don't have to protect me anymore."

"I know, it's just..."

"Just what?" she snapped, hands on hips, and he noticed it was a very Kana like gesture.

"Nothing. I'm glad you're coming." Yue walked past him stubbornly, and he looked down before following.

"She'll be fine, Sokka." Kana whispered in his ear, "Look we already arived at the Serpent's Path."

"This is the Serpent's Pass? I thought it would be more windy, you know, like a serpent. Hmm, I guess they misnamed it."

"Look at this writing, how awful." Ying said, approaching the gate post.

"What does it say?" Toph asked.

"It says, 'Abandon hope'." Katara frowned, reading the rickety sign.

"How could we abandon hope? It's all we have." Ying practically wailed, burying her face in her husband's chest.

"I don't know. The monks used to say that hope is just a distraction." Aang muttered. "So maybe we do need to abandon it."

"What are you talking about?" Katara snapped, incredulous.

"Hope isn't going to get us into Ba Sing Se, and it's not gonna find Appa. We need to focus on what we're doing right now, and that's getting across this pass." he responded evenly, stepping onto the pass.

"You know there is a difference between leaving hope behind, and abandoning it, Aang." Kana said, grabbing his shoulder. He froze under her touch, but instead of yanking away, he just shrugged it off looking back at her over his shoulder.

"It's the same thing with different words." he muttered, continuing to walk away. Kana turned her face back to the family they were leading across the pass, and went to help Ying walk, but she could barely focus. She was getting more and more worried about her friend. He had never fit in well with the other monks when it came to letting people, or things like hope, go. Maybe it had just been his age, but now it seemed as if his personality was spiraling away from him, and she didn't know how to help.

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"Hey, Twinkle Toes." Toph said, slugging Aang in the shoulder with a closed fist.

"Hey, Toph." He responded, rubbing the new sore spot on his arm.

"So," she started slowly, "we both know I'm no good with the mushy gushy, I get where you're coming from, comforting thing. So instead of just drawing this out longer than we need too, why don't you just tell me what's up?"

"Why are you here, Toph?" he sighed, "We both know you don't want to be."

"I never said that," she snorted, crossing her arms, "I said I was no good at this kind of thing. Doesn't mean I can't try though."

"Isn't it Katara's job to fix everything?" he asked tiredly.

"Who do you think begged me to come talk to you? She would have done it herself, but she didn't want to remind you of Water Mama."

"It's her fault Appa's gone." He snapped heatedly.

"Hey, if that's what you believe, than there's nothing I can do to convince you otherwise." She shrugged.

"You think it _wasn't_ her fault?" he growled.

"Oh no, it was. But it was your fault too."

"I didn't do anything!" he shouted, but Toph's face remained still.

"_Kana_ didn't do anything." She said, "At first I didn't understand why she sunk the library, but then I actually _talked_ to her. She explained some things to me, and I have to agree with her."

"What, that it's my fault Appa's gone?" he yelled.

"No, that it was the Sandbenders fault." She said evenly, making him stop. "You see, even if she hadn't sunk the library, everything would have played out exactly as they did."

"What are you talking about, you could have-"

"Done absolutely nothing. Aang, I was all but _blind _out there, I couldn't make sense of what was three feet in front of me, do you really think I would have been able to fight off all those Sandbenders?"

"You could have come and gotten me!" Aang tried, but she just shook her head.

"And they would have already been gone! I would have had to climb the building, sense you with my feet, then go and get you! There could never have been any other outcome!"

"It had to have been her fault, otherwise… otherwise it would have been all my fault!" he shouted, tears pooling in his eyes, "I couldn't protect him!"

"Didn't you listen to anything I just said?" Toph snapped, but before she could slug him in the shoulder again, he wrapped his arms around her, tears soaking her collar. Her entire body stiffened before she patted his head slowly. "I didn't know you were bald, Twinkle Toes." She said softly.

"What, yes you did." He said, pulling away.

"I was trying to be funny, Twinkle Toes." Toph sighed, punching his arm making him laugh.

"So why exactly did you forgive Kana?" he asked.

"She told me what it was like to be in the Avatar state. I could never understand, and from the way she described, I don't want to." She said, shaking her head.

"What are you talking about? The anger is upsetting, but she knows how to control it."

"Aang… have you ever talked to Kana about going into the Avatar State, because being angry isn't how she described it."

"Of course that's what she feels, I've been in the Avatar State plenty of times to know what it's like."

"If that's the why you're upset with Kana, because she couldn't control her _anger_, than you two really need to talk." She all but ordered, grabbing his wrist and pulling him along behind her. As soon as they had gotten close enough, Kana looked up from across the fire she had built, a confused look on her face.

"Toph, what are you-"

"You and Twinkle Toes need to talk, Water Mama." Toph commanded, letting go of Aang's arm, allowing him to step away from them both.

"Toph, I don't want-"

"Trust me Aang." She said, walking away, and tapping his shoulder. "You'll thank me for this later."

"Aang, I-"

"Save it for later," he muttered tiredly, "I don't want to talk right now."

"But I don't to fight anymore." She whispered, bringing her legs up to her chest, pushing her face into her knee's. There was silence for a moment before he sat down, and she looked back up.

"What is it like when you go into the Avatar State?" he asked, making her face twist down into a scowl.

"You should know, you've gone into it more than me."

"Toph said you don't feel anger… what is it?"

"Nothing." She snapped at him, making his brows rise.

"Tell me, Kana, I can handle it!"

"I don't want you to handle it, because it has nothing to do with you!"

"Tell me!" he shouted, and Kana bit back a scream.

"Fine!" she yelled back, "It's more than just getting angry, Aang! It's like there's this black pit full of hatred, and vile thoughts, and there's only one thing that matters! You try to stay away, scream for help, but the spiteful voices of thousands maybe millions, block everything!" she croaked, rubbing her temples, but nothing helped, she could still feel them!

"Destroy anything, kill anyone, just keep balance, you don't matter!" she blocked the scream from escaping her throat, biting down hard on her lip until she tasted blood, blue flickering across her eyelids.

"Kana I need your help!" Yue wailed, running up to them, before suddenly stopping. "Kana?"

"What?" she asked, head snapping up in surprise.

"Oh, it's nothing, it can wait until tomorrow." She said quietly.

"No," Kana sighed, getting to her feet, "what is it?"

"It's Sokka, something's wrong him. I think it might be because of you, I think he might like you." Yue looked at her with wet eyes, and she suddenly felt tired of this evening.

"No, he doesn't." she muttered, brushing her hair away from her face, "Where is he, I'll go talk to him."

"He's behind that cliff over there." Yue said, nodding in the direction of where she had last seen Sokka. Kana wasted no time walking over to where he was, his face buried in his hands.

"It's a beautiful moon." He muttered, glancing at her between his fingers. "Your sister right."

"Yeah, it is." She murmured, sitting next to him.

"I couldn't kiss her because of you." He said.

"You love her though, you don't like me in that way." Kana blinked in surprise.

"You're right." He chuckled, "I couldn't do it because of what happened at the North Pole. I didn't think twice between saving her, instead of you."

"That's what love is Sokka," she laughed lightly, "sacrificing Yue instead of me, is like sacrificing Katara over Toph. Nobody expects that, and nobody would understand if that's what you did."

"How can you just say it was practically nothing?" she shouted, leaping to his feet, "How can you act as if it was just nothing?"

"I learned that it wasn't my destiny to take Yue's place, or Zuko's destiny to be there after everything that happened. But sometimes you make your own destiny, and happy with it." She said gently, getting up.

"I gave you someone to love for the rest of your life, I saved the last member of the royal family. I'm glad things turned out the way they did Sokka, and I forgave you for leaving the moment I told you too." Kana smiled gently, embracing him in a warm hug. "Don't be unhappy because of me."

"Thank you, Kana. Thank you." He whispered, wrapping his arms around her.

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Aang was leading everyone down a steep slope, but the group stopped as they saw the path abruptly droping off into the lake, disappearing then reemerging several hundred yards away. Everyone stands stunned until Katara walked forward determinedly.

"Everyone single file." she ordered, bending aside the water in her path. She went below the water level, lifting up walls of liquid to form a bubble. Everyone fell in behind her, a capsule of air forming around them.

"Aang, I need help." she said, and smiling, he handed his staff to Toph and began to bend the water with Katara, making Kana smile.

Than and his family stare about amazed as they travel under the waves, Kana holding one of Ying's arms to keep her steady. Momo, leapt into the water until suddenly, a massive black form passes near him, sending him leaping back to Toph. The enormous bulk of the creature passes over the air bubble, blocking out the little light they had.

"What is that thing?" Yue asked, in shock.

Something huge crashed through the walls of the bubble, breaking Katara's concentration and threatening to drown them all. Reacting quickly, Toph bends up a column of rock that rushes everyone to the surface, as Kana reforms the air bubble until they rise above the water.

Toph hands back Aang's staff just as the others noticed a long spinly dorsal fin circling their sanctuary until the head of a colossal monster explodes from the lake. It is a gigantic jade Sea Serpent, whiskered head resembling a seahorse's, long tongue lashing whip like from its maw. The monster roared deafeningly as it rears back, issueing a shrill scream of rage.

"I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent's Pass." Sokka shouted, making Kana grimace.

"You think?" she shouted at him.

"I'll distract him. Katara, get everyone across. Kana, come with me!" Aang shouted, blasting the serpent away with a gust of wind.

Kana grabbed the glider from her back, following Aang into the air as the serpent recovers and chased after them. As the beast swerves to the left after Aang, Kana closed her glider, slamming her feet into its head. It snapped its head back up, flinging her away, as she let out a blast of fire from her feet. She only has a moment to realize the blue fire before the snout of the serpent slammed into her, flinging her into the water.

A hand latched onto her own, pulling her up to stand on an ice board, glider still gripped firmly in one hand. Linking an arm around Katara's waist, she wiped the water from her face with a sleeve. The other girl freezing the belly of the monster, but with a twist of its body the Serpent burst free, turning back to chase Katara and Kana in the opposite direction.

There was a scream from behind them, and Kana glanced back to see Toph thrashing in the water, yelling that she couldn't swim. "Aang, Toph!" she shouted upwards.

"I've got her!" he shouted back, diving into the lake, and pulling out the blind Earthbender.

"Kana, whirlpool!" Katara yelled, and she let go of her waist, flinging herself onto the water. Together they circled the Serpent at tremendous speed, stirring up a irresistible whirlpool that held it helpless. The spinning monster's neck cracks like a whip against the cliff-side, and it slipped off the earth, back into the water.

Kana snapped the wings of her glider back open, catching Katara with her legs and soaring back on land.

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"There's the wall!" Sokka exclaimed, pointing excitedly, "Now it's nothing but smooth sailing to Ba Sing Se."

"Oh no!" Ying gasped, doubling over, clutching her belly.

"Ying, are you okay?" Kana asked, rubbing her back gently.

"The baby's coming!" she gasped, as everyone helps lean her to the ground.

"What! Now! Can't you hold it in or something?" Sokka shouted in rising panic.

"Sokka, Calm down. I helped Gran-Gran deliver lots of babies back home." Katara said gently.

"So have I." Yue laughed lightly, making Kana smile.

"Me too." she said, patting Ying's hand comfortingly.

"This isn't the same as delivering an arctic seal! This is a real... human... thing!" Sokka completely panicking, began to hyperventilate.

"It's called a baby, and we've all helped to deliver plenty of those too." Katara snapped, before turning to everyone and speaking with authority. "Aang, get some rags. Yue, water. Toph, I need you to make an earth tent. A big one. Kana, come with me."

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"I thought I was trying to be strong, but really I was just running away from my feelings." Aang said thoughtfully, staring at Kana. "Seeing this family together, so full of happiness and love, it reminded me of how I feel about Appa...and how I feel about you. I'm sorry I blamed you for what happened to Appa, I think I understand a few more things now."

Kana smiled slightly as Aang finished speaking, pulling him into a hug , tears welling up in her closed eyes. "You don't have to apologize Aang, I'd love you no matter what."

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"Sokka, It's been really great to see you again."

"You're saying goodbye?" Sokka asked.

"I came along because I wanted to show you that I could take care of myself. But now I need to get back to the Kyoshi warriors, and to my training."

"So you came along just to prove yourself to me?" he asked, stunned.

"I'm really sorry about last night." Yue said blushing, "We were talking, and I had missed you," she whispered closing her eyes, "I know we haven't seen each other in a while, I didn't mean to push-" Sokka cut her off by pulling her into a tender kiss, much like the one she had given him while in the North Pole.

"You might have pushed, but I refused to pull back." he murmured, brushing a strand of white hair from her face."

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"Sorry Momo, Appa's gonna have to wait." Aang said sadly, staring down at the giant drill heading straight for the walls of Ba Sing Se.

.

**EVERYBODY GUESS WHAT! Egarcia513 has made a trailer for The Two Souls, it's up on YouTube, as well as on my profile with a brand new picture, so check that out as well! Make sure to check out Egarcia513's other trailers for Another One, too, they're just as great, and so is her Fan Fiction.**

**I also want to apologize for the long wait for this chapter, but it's flu season, and I got sick. But, I worked to get this out as soon as I could, and I hope it was worth the wait.**

Character Questions Answered

**Kana, how do you feel about traveling with Aang instead of Zuko?**

Kana: _Despite everything that's happened, I much prefer traveling with Aang than Zuko, it feels right._

**Kana, do you miss Zuko?**

Kana: _It was always a pain to be with him, but I like to think that we were becoming friends, even with his saying otherwise. So yes, I guess I do._

**Zuko, do you miss Kana?**

Zuko: _Yeah._


	35. Chapter 14: Reacquainted in the City

**Legal Notice:** My friend who lives in the city reacquainted me with the fact that I don't own this.

Chapter 14: Reacquainted in the City

"Now what's so big that Appa has to wait?" Sokka asked as the platform that was being raised by Kana and Toph came to a stop.

"That." Aang said, staring out into the distance, an approaching Drill barreling towards the wall, flanked by eight tanks on either side.

"We made it to Ba Sing Se, and we're still not safe. No one is." Ying wailed, Than pulling her into his arms as they all huddled together.

"What are you people doing here? Civilians aren't allowed on the wall." a gaurd snapped, and everyone turned to stare.

"I'm the Avatar. Take me to whoever's in charge." Aang ordered, "This family is a friend of mine, I humbly request that they get to Ba Sing Se as fast as possible."

"Of course!" the guard snapped to attention, motioning for another man to approach. "Take these refugees to the train, immediately. They have priority boarding."

"Kana, you should go with them. Keep them safe."

"But what about the Drill, Aang?" she asked, but he just smiled.

"I can handle it."

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Ying was letting Kana hold the baby – who was joyfully playing with her hair – as they were escorted to the train that would take them to Ba Sing Se. The family hovered around her and Hope, albeit unconsciously, which was arguably a good thing. There were so many people in the crowd that it would be impossible to find somebody if you were to be separated.

She was so focused on the family she was escorting, that when a hand latched onto her shoulder from behind, she felt her muscles prepare to strike, only to remember at the last moment that there was a baby in her arms. "You aren't going to kick me in the face again, are you?" a smooth voice murmured into her ear.

"Jet!" Kana gasped, eyes going wide as she spun around, "What are you doing here?"

"Ba Sing Se is a place of second chances, more than I thought it would be actually." He said, smile slightly before flicking his eyes down to the child in her arms. "She's cute."

"And sweet." Kana sighed, motioning to Ying's family to come closer, and handing Hope back to her mother. "This is my friend, Jet."

"It's nice to meet you, my name's Than." he said, shaking Jet's hand firmly, "This is my wife Ying, and my baby Hope."

"It's nice to meet you all." Jet replied politely, making Kana's smile widen.

"We could only find the guy selling cold tea, Jet, no one else is around." A grating voice said, a voice that Kana absolutely despised said.

"That's okay, Smellerbee. We can just get something to eat in Ba Sing Se."

"Than, why don't you and everyone find a seat on the monorail, I'm sure Ying would like to sit down." Kana said blankly, glancing at them.

"Oh, of course!" the man grinned, ushering her family on board.

"I'll be there soon!" Kana called, waiting until she couldn't see the family anymore before turning on her heel, and slapping Smellerbee across the face.

"That's for nearly murdering an entire village of people." She hissed, and it seemed like the other girl was going to lunge at her, but Longshot put his hand on her shoulder, and shook his head.

"Longshot's right Smellerbee," Jet said, stepping in front of her, "You don't want to start something right before we get to Ba Sing Se, besides, we all deserve to get punished for what we did."

"Why are you taking her side, Jet, she isn't one of us!" she snapped.

"Maybe not," he replied glancing back at Kana, "but she showed me that I could have a life, not based on hatred."

"All she's shown me, is that she sticks her nose where it doesn't belong." Smellerbee muttered, shoving past him, and into one of the monorail carts.

"Don't mind her," Jet said, rubbing the back of his neck, "she'll get used to you."

"Oh, and how do you know that?" she smirked, "Plan on seeing me around in Ba Sing Se?"

"You might be the Avatar, but that doesn't mean you can't slum around in the lower rings to come visit." He grinned, but she just frowned.

"Being around people who are less fortunate than yourself isn't 'slumming'." She said, making him shake his head with a light chuckle.

"You really are one of a kind, Kana."

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"This is a cozy apartment." Kana said, looking around the near empty room. It was better than she thought it'd be, considering it was randomly appointed by a resettlement agent that didn't look like he really cared. "You'll be able to raise Hope here comfortably."

"And the luck of getting a job that has to do with wood work was wonderfully convenient." Than grinned as he moved around the living room. "Thank you for getting us here Kana."

"I could stay until we know the Fire Nation won't break the wall." She offered.

"That's a nice gesture, but it's obvious you haven't seen your friend in awhile." He laughed lightly, looking into the bedroom where Jet was pushing the bed around for Ying.

"You're right," she sighed, arms crossed, "I haven't seen him for a long time. He's changed, for the better."

"You two are lucky to have found each other, young love is a wonderful thing."

"What!?" she yelped, face burning red, "That's not it, we're just friends!"

"I've finished moving around the furniture, but I have to go now." Jet said obliviously, walking into the living room. "I'd promised the guys I'd make it to the house in time to help set it up."

"You've done more than enough," Than said with a smile, "we really appreciate you two escorting us here, but we really can't impose anymore."

"It really isn't a problem, Than." Kana pressed again, "Are you sure you don't want me to stay?"

"No, no," he laughed, pushing Kana and Jet into the hall, "go spend time with your friends, get to know Ba Sing Se. You might even find something out about your bison."

"Okay," she said wearily," but Than, we really aren't…" she tried, but he just chuckled, shutting the door.

"Who isn't what?" Jet asked suddenly, beginning to walk to the stairs.

"Nobody is anything." Kana muttered mouth twisting into a hard line, making the corner of Jet's lips perk up into a soft smile. The smug bastard was amused!

"What?" she snapped, crossing her arms, and sticking her chin into the air.

"We almost were." He grinned, slinging an arm around her shoulders as they walked out of the building, and onto the street.

"But we weren't." she stated simply, shoving him playfully away. Jet just stumbled back, using his momentum to move forward, and link their arms together. Kana laughed despite trying to stay serious.

"And whose fault is that… besides mine obviously." He asked, with a teasing lilt to his voice.

"Smellerbee's." she laughed, "If she hadn't interrupted, you would have been my first kiss."

"Maybe even be an old married couple." He joked, and she elbowed him in the side gently.

"I don't think that would have happened." She laughed.

"Why not?" he asked, suddenly serious. "People say that time goes fast when you're happy, I've never been as happy, or trouble free when you're around. You make me forget everything, if just for awhile."

"Jet," she sighed, pulling away from him, "there are a lot of things that are keeping us from living happily ever after."

"I know." He said, making her groan.

"No, you don't!" Kana insisted, frustrated. "I would have left no matter what you had done, I had to find Aang! Not to mention what you did, I still haven't forgiven you, and you haven't given me any reason too!"

"But you said-"

"That I didn't think you were a monster, that's it." She grit out, trying to storm past him, and leave this conversation – that had left a sour taste in her mouth – behind.

"Kana." Jet murmured softly, grabbing her arm, strong enough to halt her, but light enough that she could rip away from him if she wanted. "I'm sorry that I ever had the thought to do what I was going to, but you have to believe me. I've changed."

"Prove it, then I'll believe you." She responded with a sharp glare, taking her arm back.

"I will, I promise." He stated, and the tension drained from her shoulders. She moved forward, and wrapped her arms around him in a brief hug, before stepping away with a slight smile.

"Good. Then we should go meet up with Longshot and Smellerbee."

"Yeah, we don't want to be late."

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"You know," Smellerbee drawled, leaning against the wall, "Jet lied to you."

"What do you mean?" Kana growled, eyes narrowing.

"He told me to blow the dam, there was no ordering me to stop," she shrugged, "he's an excellent liar."

"Oh, and I'm sure he ordered you to interrupt our kiss too, and just lied about wanting to?" she snorted.

"You're the Avatar, you were a valuable asset, and you still are."

"You know, I would believe you if you weren't such a horrible liar. And the fact that the moment I showed up, it was like you never existed." Kana laughed, a sneer placed over her face.

"You have no idea what Jet and I have gone through." Smellerbee snarled, and Kana began stalking towards her with a feral grin.

"And he obviously doesn't care, otherwise he would have listened to your warnings that I was a Fire Nation spy in disguise when you first saw me. Face it Smellerbee," she snickered darkly, "you are nothing but a pawn to Jet, a puppy that followed him all the way to Ba Sing Se."

Kana saw Smellerbee's fingers curl into a ball, she saw it coming straight for at her face, and she could have avoided it easily. But at that same moment, she saw Jet and Longshot enter the room. Kana let Smellerbee's fist strike her clear across the jaw, and let out a cry of 'pain' as she 'stumbled' back into the wall.

Her eyes lit on fire, and with a snarl, Kana pushed off the wall to attack, but Longshot grabbed her shoulder, and held her back. She tore away from him, storming into another room, her lips curling up in triumph as Jet began to yell.

QQQQQQQQQQ

"Come on Team Avatar!" Sokka cheered, "If Kana were here, she'd be twice as fast as you two!" Katara let out a frustrated scream, shooting a spiteful glare at her brother, who cleared his throat. "I mean, you're almost there!"

QQQQQQQQQQ

"I can't believe you convinced me to go table shopping with you," Kana complained, "You don't even have a job!"

"No, but I have enough to get a table, maybe a few more bed rolls, and possibly a cushion to sit on."

"You should be buying groceries than, food before comfort, you know that." She scolded lightly, "This isn't the forest, you can't scavenge or steal."

"Don't worry, I planned on getting those later tonight." He chuckled.

"Jet, do you even have a sense of money?" she asked, stopping. "Do you know how to haggle, or pick the right produce, or even find good furniture?"

"I learned everything I needed to in the forest." He said, shrugging off her questions.

"This isn't the forest, Jet." She insisted, "You need to know this stuff to survive."

"Well, I was a little busy trying to fight the Fire Nation." He snapped, making her huff.

"Come on," she growled, grabbing his arm, and dragging him after her. I'll show you how to haggle, that's the most important thing. You should have just asked for help."

"I didn't know I needed it." He grumbled, making her stop. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and gave a small smile.

"The good thing about help, is you won't need it anymore."

Kana turned around, and trotted to the nearest fruit stand with shaded fruit, Jet following close behind her. She had half expected him to say that he didn't need any help. But that wasn't Jet, that was somebody else she knew.

QQQQQQQQQQ

"And that's how you get a bargain." Kana gloated, walking down the street clad in a pair of brown pants, and a green shirt. She had gotten an old woman to sell her the new clothes at half off if she paid full price to have Kyoshi's green dress, dyed blue.

"And how'd you get so good?" Jet teased lightly.

"I'm from the Water Tribe, everyone knows how to barter, even children."

"A useful skill." He chuckled, making her smile grow wider, until she angled her face up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set.

"I'll need to leave soon, Jet." She said, and he stopped.

"What do you mean?" he asked a little too hastily.

"It's getting late, the sun's going down," she frowned, "I need to go find Aang."

"Why are you always so focused on him?" Jet asked bitterly. "He's twelve, and you act like he's your boyfriend."

"Aang isn't twelve, he's thirteen. And he isn't my boyfriend." She snapped "He has gotten older since the last time I've seen you, Jet."

"Then why are you always so worried about him?" he asked sourly, but Kana just crossed her arms fuming.

"I'm sorry, okay?" he sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Why are you so worried about him."

"You wouldn't understand." She muttered, looking away from him.

"Try me."

"Fine." She growled. "It's because he's thirteen, a monk that abhors violence, he's so naïve, and he doesn't really understand what war is! He's too young, he has so many mistakes ahead of him, and the world just can't afford for him to make them." She sighed, rubbing her temples.

"Then why didn't you take the responsibility of solving the world's problems from him?" Jet asked gently, and Kana just stared at the ground, ashamed.

"Because I was so busy thinking about myself and learning Firebending, that by the time I escaped from Zuko's ship, everyone had already known about the Avatar's great return!" she snapped, throwing her arms up in exasperation. "Hope is a dangerous thing, given just enough, people can start a revolution, given too much… And they become foolhardy and stupid."

"You think that if it was common knowledge that you were alive as well, people would put themselves in danger?"

"Not just that, but what if the Fire Nation doubled their efforts in crushing all opposition, and just started to burn everything to the ground?"

"So how long do you plan on hiding?" he asked, and Kana froze.

"Hiding?" she hissed coldly, eyes turning up to glare at him heatedly. "There's a difference between hiding, and letting someone make a distraction for you."

"But I thought you wanted to protect him, aren't you putting him danger by making him the Fire Nations sole focus?" he said, brows knitting together in confusion. Her lips curled into an expression he's never seen before, it was somehow cruel, but at the same time wasn't.

"I am protecting him," she stated firmly, "by focusing on Aang, our enemies won't even realize that the lotus tile has been placed. And the piece that is the most underestimated is often the most dangerous."

"Where did you learn to think like that?" Jet whispered, and Kana's face twisted into a dark grin.

"My father had some uses."

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, swallowing, but her expression went blank.

"There are a lot of secrets between the two of us, Jet, and neither of us have earned the right to know them yet."

"Let me buy you a cup of tea before you leave." He said suddenly, making Kana blink in surprise at the sudden change of topic.

"Okay," she agreed before thinking, "we'll get some after taking the groceries back to your house."

"Actually, we're already near a tea house. I could just take them back, and meet you back here." He said hastily.

"Oh, Okay," she assented, thinking that he probably just didn't want her around Smellerbee, "I'll wait for you there, but I'm ordering the worst possible brew of tea for you!"

"It shouldn't be hard," he yelled back at her, already making his way back to the apartment. "I heard some people saying that place was only decent."

Kana only snickered as he disappeared around a corner, then walked into the tea house. It was empty except for a single bus boy, and it seemed musty. It was rather cozy, and it definitely had potential to be a nice place. As she moved forward to the wooden counter, the busboy turned at the exact same moment, a tray of dishes in his hands.

Their shoulders smacked into each other's, and the cups went flying. Kana immediately dove to her knees, plucking at the shattered pieces of clay; glad she had decided to keep wearing her hair down. She tucked her face behind her brown locks, cheeks red in embarrassment as she kept her gaze locked on the ground.

Pale hands gave a cup to her so she had somewhere to put all the shards of clay, and she looked up with an appreciative smile. The thank you froze in her throat, chest constricting, and her hands going numb, dropping the cup in her hands to the floor. The resulting clunking was loud and unexpected enough that the busboy's head rose in surprise, recognition filling his eyes immediately.

"Kana?"

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**Hey all, I just everyone to know that I feel terrible for not posting in two weeks. However, I do have an excuse. I had been busy writing four Zutara chapters, and two Taang one shots. Sorry again for the delay, but I can only do so many things at once, haha. **

**One other thing, I went back and edited a few chapters in book two having to do with Meno. Basically, I just took him out of Destiny in the Swamp, along with mentioning him being in the swamp in Tales of the Beifong Family. I've decided he wasn't important enough to be in the visions she had.**

No Character Questions


	36. Chapter 15: City of Walls and Secrets P1

**Legal Notice:** In the city behind walls I keep a secret of greatness, and that is that I don't own this.

Chapter 15: City of Walls and Secretes (P1)

"Meno!" Kana shrieked in delight, face spreading into a broad grin. "What are you doing here… in a tea shop… as a bus boy?"

"The owner is a long time friend of my parents, he made some faulty investments and now all he has left is this tea house." He said, standing up with a smile of his own, "He needed some help, so I volunteered."

"Your parents made you didn't they?" Kana snickered, rising to her feet as well, planting her hands on her hips.

"Damn it Kana couldn't you have just let me be the sweet rich boy that helps out a friend in need?" he laughed, and they both stepped forward into a hug.

"It's good to see you again _Manny_… I swear to all the spirits in the sky, if your hands get any lower I'll beat you over the head with a stick!" She snapped (playfully), and he moved back with his hands held up in defeat. "It was too much to hope that you out grew your pervy ways, wasn't it?"

"What can I say, I've been cursed to forever be an eternal flirt, woe is me!" he said dramatically, clutching at his heart, and without hesitation Kana slammed her fist into his shoulder, making him grunt.

"I see Toph's been teaching you to how to hit like an Earthbender." He groaned, making her smirk triumphantly.

"That's right! Toph!" he shouted, jumping. "I heard that she'd been kidnapped!"

"What are you talking about, she's with me and Aang. She ran away to teach us Earthbending and help with the war effort."

"Oh… right," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head embarrassed, "I forgot about your Avatar greatness."

"You really thought Toph could have been kidnapped?" she snickered, making him blush more.

"Her parents said something about metal cages!" he said defensively, crossing his arms.

"Would you like to see her? I'm meeting up with her and the others at the monorail station tomorrow. I'm sure she'd love to hear about how you thought she could actually be held hostage for a long time."

"Yeah, yeah, where are you staying tonight?" he grumbled, making Kana freeze. She let out a groan before slapping her forehead.

"With everything going on today, I forgot to make arrangements for a place to stay, and Katara has all the money!" she growled.

"I hate to see a lady in distress," Meno purred, sauntering over and slinging an arm over her shoulder. "How about you come over to my house and I could give you some private lessons in etiquette."

"You wanna go toe to toe with me pretty boy? Then I suggest not moving your arm."

"Go for it," he whispered, "I'll give you the first shot."

Without warning, Kana brought two fingers up tp her mouth, and gave a sharp whistle directly in his ear. Meno reared back in surprise, clutching at his head as Kana crossed her arms with a smug grin.

"Your rejections hurt me, Kana. They really, really hurt me." he muttered, slapping at his ear, obviously trying to get it to pop.

"Oh, you'll get over it." she laughed, waving him off. 'Now why don't you show me where you're living. Did your parents make you get your own place too?"

"What of it?" he grumbled, walking over to the back of the store, and poking his head through a door. He spoke a few words, then came back, sliding the apron over his head. "There, someone else is going to clean this mess, and take over my shift."

"Okay, then let's go." Kana smiled, leading the way out of the tea house. They walked down a few streets in comfortable silence, and it was almost as if they were back in Gaoling.

"So what were you doing at the tea house to begin with, eager to see me?" he teased, making her freeze, eyes going wide.

"Oh Spirits, Jet!" she yelped, "I forgot I was meeting him there!"

"That's rude, forgetting your boyfriend because the focus of your desire showed up." he snickered, and she punched his shoulder angrily.

"This isn't funny!" She snapped, giving him a withering look, "I have to go back. Why don't you give me the directions to your house, and I can meet you there. You probably have to clean up anyways." she added with a snort.

"True enough." He laughed, "My apartment is three blocks down, to the right, first building on the left, second floor, and third door down. Don't take too long with your boyfriend!" he ordered beginning to walk away, with a wave over his shoulder. Kana just rolled her eyes before trotting back towards the tea house; Jet was going to be furious, or at least hurt. She let out a sigh, as she turned the corner and saw the little establishment. The door opened, and she held her breath preparing to see Jet walk out with a look of confusion.

Two hands clamped onto her from behind, one on her mouth to muffles the scream, the other across her stomach to keep her from jerking away. There was a spike of adrenaline, as she was pulled into an alley, raised her legs, and let out a burst of fire. She shot backward, and the resounding slap of her attackers back on a stone wall caused his grip to loosen.

As soon as her feet hit the ground, she ground her heels into the earth, finding her root, and ripping herself away from the attacker. She spun, her foot lashing out for his stomach. Her boot made contact drawing an oomph from the man, but he managed to clamp his hands around her leg. His arms jerked backwards, taking her leg with them, and for one painfully clear second, she was suspended in air as she fell.

There was a sharp pain on her shoulders the moment she made contact with the ground, a moment later, her head snapped back against the rocky earth. Bright red splotches bloomed over her vision, her lips opening and closing like a fish drowning on land. Two arms went under her body, lifting her back into the air, and cradling her to a chest.

She had enough common sense to try and struggle, but her chest was absent of air, and her shoulders were numb. She could feel blood in her hair. She'd have to wash it before going to see Aang and the others, she noted off handedly.

"Uncle, close the Tea House!" _When did she go inside?_

"Junior, what are you yelling abou- Kana?" _Who was that, he sounded nice?_

"Uncle, the tea house!?" _He didn't sound nice._

"Of course! Of course." There was a clicking sound, followed by a fluttering of something that sounded vaguely familiar. Suddenly there was a soft, plushness against her back making her groan. Something was shoved underneath her nose, and before she could decipher what it was, she took a deep breath.

Kana gagged immediately at the harsh scent of the smelling salt, slapping them away with a hand. She coughed for a moment before looking up, two sets of golden eyes staring down at her. There was a second of confusion, but her eyes settled on the pink puckered flesh of a burn scar that traveled all the way to the back of an ear…

"Zuko!" Kana hissed, recoiling so violently that she fell back to the ground. Zuko jumped to his feet, hand out stretched towards her, only to leap back when an arch of fire rose to meet him. Her eyes darted around the room once, dread filling her stomach. The door was shut and locked, and the shutters were drawn. She was trapped in a room with these two, and the outside world might as well have not even existed.

With a grunt, Kana managed to get back to her feet, only to slip and fall back against the wall, a pounding ache in the back of her skull. Another attempt to move forward by both Zuko and his uncle was met by another jet of flame, this time from her fist.

"One does not burn the forest before knowing their enemy lies within." Iroh warned gravely, taking a careful step forward with his arms raised in an act of peace. She swallowed with shame as she recalled the way Azula had shot Iroh in the chest, and noticed how easy it would be able to reenact it. _Girls like us don't have honor._ "We don't want to fight."

"What are you doing here?" she asked darkly, eyes darting between the two Firebenders. Iroh's face was masked with a soothing mask, and she couldn't help but feel like a wounded animal, cornered in an alley way.

"The White Lotus helped us into Ba Sing Se we could make a new life here." He said calmly, making her arms lower against her own volition. She didn't know if it was because Hariti had been part of the White Lotus, or because her shoulders burned with the effort of keeping her arms lifted.

"You have to believe him, Kana." Zuko finally stepped in, his voice strained as if he's dealing with some sort of inner conflict. But knowing Zuko, it had something to do with his honor. "We've, no I've changed."

"That's not possible; you have to admit you're wrong to change. You wouldn't do that." She growled, shaking her head furiously, unable to believe him.

"I didn't want too, but certain… circumstances made me realize a few things." He said, unwaveringly, staring into her eyes and her resolve wavered, arms dropping another inch. "You know I deserve a second chance."

"How could I know that?" she asked tiredly, "You never gave me a reason too."

"Because I protected you, I've always protected you." He stated, and her lip curled in anger, a denial on her lips, so he barreled on, not letting her speak. "I didn't let my men chain you down and leave you completely helpless to their… advances on my ship." He swallowed, repressing the vile images entering his thoughts before continuing. "I climbed a mountain to get you medicine, broke into a fortress to save you from Zhao, begged my uncle to stop you from sacrificing yourself to bring back the moon. I've done more too, a lot more to keep you safe."

"You only did those things for yourself." She spit, making him wince.

"You have to give us a chance, Kana. We just want to start over, make a new life here; stop being afraid that every time we look over our shoulder someone will be trying to hurt us." Iroh begged, and a pain filled her chest that had nothing to do with what happened in the alley.

"You'll go after Aang again, I can't let you hurt him." She croaked, arms shaking violently enough to see. She was going to fold, and she knew it.

"I couldn't even if I wanted too." Zuko snapped, a bit of venom oozing into his eyes, and his usual glare resurfacing as he looked towards her. "I don't have the ability to capture him anymore."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, and a look of pain crossed his face. Her arms fell to her side.

"Nothing." He grit out, looking away, jaw squarely in the air.

"You aren't the kind of person that shies away from opposition." She pressed, and his face snapped back towards her.

"I'm not shying away from anything!" he yelled, making Kana smile slightly. This was the Zuko she knew. "I've lost something, okay, something vital to capturing the Avatar, and without out it I won't be able to go after your precious Aang!"

"He is precious," she spat back, placing her hands on hips, "to the whole world not just to me!"

"I doubt the Fire Nation would agree with you." He snorted, and her jaw clenched.

"The Fire Nation is nothing but a bunch of indoctrinated fools, who think they're better than everyone else just because they were born on a volcano!"

"My people aren't fools!" he roared, and she snarled back at him.

"Oh, really? I think their prince is the biggest one!"

"I try to apologize, and all you do is go on a tirade about how stupid I am?" he shouted, throwing his arms up angrily.

"What are you sorry for, kidnapping me _twice_ or not being able to go after Aang?" she yelled back.

"Just forget it!"

"Forget what, the not apology?"

"Argh, you're so frustrating, what is the matter with you?"

"Me, what's wrong with you?"

"If the two of you are going to continue on like this, I believe it best that I make some tea." Iroh chuckled.

"No!" Kana said hastily, making the two men jump, and look at her as if she were crazy. "I was supposed to meet Jet here, but I don't think that's a good idea anymore."

"You're meeting up with Jet?" Zuko asked sharply, making her brows rise in surprise.

"You know him?"

"Yes, we met him on the ferry ride," Iroh said, "an interesting boy, with interesting friends."

Kana rubbed her face with a palm, lips perking down into a frown. How bad could they really be if Jet and Meno liked them? What if they really did want to start a new life here, if she turned them in, she would be the cause of taking that away from them. She peeked past her fingers at Iroh, and felt her stomach drop. He was a complicated man who wanted a simple life. Zuko was simple, with a complicate life.

"You can stay." She muttered into her hand, swallowing hard. This was going to come back and bite her in the ass, but she couldn't do it. After everything, she just couldn't do it. She couldn't ruin the one chance they had to live a happy, normal life. "But I'm going to be keeping my eye on you." She warned, spearing Zuko with her gaze.

"It'll be a pleasure as always." Iroh smiled, opening his arms wide. "But if you have to go soon, then how about a hug for a weary old man?"

Kana just rolled her eyes at him before stepping into his embrace, a content smile on her face. "It's good to see you again, Uncle."

"It's good to see you too, Dewdrop." He said, making her pull away with a raised brow.

"Dewdrop?" she asked, hearing Zuko's snicker behind her.

"From a Water Tribe poem I ran across in my travels, it reminds me of you."

"Really?" Kana laughed with sparkling eyes, "How many do you know?"

"Enough to never be alone again, if I so wish is." He chuckled, causing Zuko recoil.

"Uncle!" he shouted, face turning red.

"Do not be so embarrassed Prince Zuko, we have had this discussion before." He laughed, and it was Kana's turn to snicker.

"Don't use my name so casually," he hissed back, "we can't afford to make people suspicious of us."

"Don't worry Zuzu," Kana said reassuringly, "your secrets safe with me so long as I don't see you snooping around for Aang." The last part of her sentence was growled in a dark undertone, causing a shiver to travel up his spine. She sighed at his reaction before jutting out her hand for him to shake, and his face tensed in surprise before he reached out and grabbed her hand.

There was no time for him to react when she yanked him forward, and for a moment he thought she might have a concealed a knife, but her arms just wrapped warmly around his neck. Zuko tried to leap back in surprise, but Kana just held on tighter, her chest shaking slightly as if holding back tears.

"Please don't make me regret this Zuzu, I've had so many people stab me in the back… please don't be one of them." She pulled away with a small smile, as if she were genuinely happy to see him, and turned on her heel with one last goodbye to uncle, making for the door to leave.

He almost wanted to pull her back in an embrace and promise not to hurt her. But he couldn't. His pride wouldn't allow him too.

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When Jet arrived at the tea house, he knew he was later than he should have been just going back to the apartment. But he had chased down a cart totting a small blue flower that was just the perfect shade of blue, it matched Kana's eyes. After he had caught up to the cart, he realized that he had no idea where he was, and had to not only backtrack, but also ask for directions, taking him some time.

When he made it back to the tea house, it was closed, only muffled voices coming from the thick walls. Slowly, he thrust a finger beneath one of the shutters, and pried it open. It was dark out, and the street was empty, so the lights streaming in thin lines across his face made it easy to see everything. Everything.

His eyes had immediately snapped to Kana's tensed form, then to his horror, Lee. Jet swallowed when she turned from Mushi, spoke a few words that he couldn't catch, and stuck her hand under the scarred boys nose for him to take. Before Jet could blink, she was in his arms, fingers running in his hair absentmindedly, while whispering something in his good ear.

They drew apart, staring into each other's eyes for a moment, before Kana turned to leave. He saw Lee's expression, and knew what he was thinking as he watched her back while she made her way to the door. Jet tilted away from the window, leaning against the wall with a pain in his chest, jealousy clawing at his stomach. His hand curled into a fist, and he felt the small blue flower crumple like paper.

The door from the tea house swung open, and he heard Kana jump when she spotted him (which was immediately). "Jet, there you are," she said with a distracted smile.

"Yeah, I got a little lost in a large crowd."

"That's too bad." She frowned slightly, "I have to go now, so we won't be able to have that cup of tea tonight."

"Right." He muttered, eyes flicking to the door she had come from. "Will you come to visit me?"

"Of course," she was tapping her fingers now, "I just have a few things on my mind now, and I have to meet a friend. He's letting me stay the night at his house until tomorrow morning."

"Right… Goodnight Kana."

"Goodnight, it was nice to see you again Jet." She said before walking away at a brisk pace. He watched her until she disappeared down a street, and he made his way back to his new house. He still clutched the tiny flower in his fist, and when he opened his hand, the petals were ripped, and the stem broken. He stared at it for a second before throwing it heatedly to the ground, and grinding his heel into it.**  
**

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**I promise it will never take me this long to update again, but I can ****guarantee that none of you have to worry about me stopping this fic, I swear I won't. I hope you like this chapter!**

No Character Questions


	37. Chapter 16: Tea

Legal Notice: Tea would make it easier on my knowing that I don't own this.

Chapter 16: Tea

Kana bounced excitedly on the ball of her heels as she and Meno waited for the monorail that would bring her friends, and his cousin. They watched excitedly as the tan and green carts sped towards them, jerkily coming to a stop as it slid into the station. The doors slid open, and her eyes scanned along the crowd, brightening as soon as she saw Aang's goofy grin.

She rushed forward as the others piled out to meet her, scooping up everyone that could fit into her arms. "I'm so glad you're all okay!" she gushed, before she could stop herself.

"Sheesh Water Mama, you'd think we fought some giant drill trying to take down Ba Sing Se or something." Toph snickered; face splitting into a wide grin. "What do you think you're doing over there Manny, you know I can see you!"

"I was just waiting until this touching reunion was over," he said, walking over to everybody. Aang and Sokka stared at him with confusion, but Katara's eyes were focused on Kana, who shrugged.

"What are you doing here, Manny?" Toph asked, socking him in the shoulder.

"Kana and I ran into each other at a tea house, she invited me along to come meet you guys." He answered nodding to everyone.

"What kind of name is Manny?" Sokka asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"It stands for 'male nanny'," Kana snickered, "he was in charge of looking after Toph until I got there."

"Okay, so what's his real name?" Katara wondered aloud as Sokka's face puffed out, a reddish hue coloring his cheeks as he tried not to laugh.

"Meno," he purred, sticking his hand out for her to shake, "it's a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Aang, that's Katara, and that's Sokka." Aang said pointing to everyone in turn, taking his hand.

"I hope you all become fast friends." Kana grinned, putting her hand on Meno's shoulder, and digging her nails into the cloth of his shirt. He winced, then nodded his head in understanding. The message was water clear: Stay away from Katara, or suffer the consequences.

Behind the group, the monorail cars creaked before finally leaving, and on the other side of the track a lone woman with long dark hair stood there. She shuffled forward, an unnatural, wide, smile plastered on her face, causing an unpleasant tingle to crawl up everyone's spines.

"Hello, my name is Joo Dee. I have been given the great honor of showing the Avatar around Ba Sing Se. And you must be Sokka, Katara, and Toph." The woman hesitated for a moment, eyeing Kana and Meno, her lips tightening as she continued. "I did not know I would also be escorting the two of you."

"Oh, that's quite all right." Kana responded smoothly with a tiny smile of her own, even though her skin crawled at Joo Dee's unblinking gaze.

"Unfortunately not," the older woman replied merrily, "our transportation is only big enough for five."

"As I've said, that is quite all right," Kana said tightly, lips spreading in an upward fashion that was hinging on Joo Dee-ish. "Master Beifong and I have some business in the Lower Ring to attend too. If you would just give me the address that my friends and I will be staying at, I will be more than happy to meet you there."

"Of course." Joo Dee beamed, bowing low. "You will be staying in the garden district of the Upper Ring on Orchid road. It's the last house on left. May I inquire as to where you are going?"

"Unfortunately, we have a lot of business transactions to deal with, so it'll be impossible to give an exact location at any given time." Kana laughed lightly, Joo Dee joining in with her own forced chuckle.

"Would you like me to wait at your house?" she asked, making Kana's eye twitch.

"I'll be home late." She said politely. Joo Dee stared at her, a glazed over look in her eyes, then nodded her – unwilling – assent.

"You're leaving already?" Aang asked; face falling into a pout, immediately softening Kana's face.

"My temper hasn't been the best since becoming a Firebender, it's harder to… control it." She muttered eyes flicking to a distracted Joo Dee, who was being yelled at by Sokka. "I'll be there before the moon is in the middle of the sky." She promised, and he smiled. It was something the two of them would say when they snuck out at night to chase lemurs, or visit the bison stables.

"You'll be back before I go to sleep?" he asked tenderly.

"Of course." She whispered softly, before turning sharply and shouting to Meno. "Come on Manny, I'm taking you back to work!"

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"Lee!" Kana shouted merrily, walking into the tea house, making Zuko jump, and nearly spill a costumer's drinks on them. "Look who I brought back to work!"

"How do you know Lee?" Meno asked, side eyeing her suspiciously.

"I ran into him yesterday when I went back to talk with Jet. He waited with me until he arrived."

"Can you two not see that I'm busy?" Zuko hissed, venomously. "Unless you're here to help, leave."

"Do you always have to be in such a bad mood, Zuzu?" Kana teased waving away his comment like stale air. "Couldn't you be happy just once?"

"I'd be happy if you'd leave me alone." He growled, stomping away, and into the kitchen, Meno and Kana on his heels.

"Zuzu?" He whispered, making her shrug.

"A bitter fruit that grows in the swamps of the Southern Earth Kingdom." She answered smoothly, the lie rolling off her tongue easily.

"You're in the way." Zuko snapped, shoving his way between the two of them with a tray full of tea, and Kana felt her lips dip down in annoyance. He was hiding something. Yesterday he was confused, and probably scared of the thought that she could turn him into the Dai Lee with a flick of the wrist. Now he was upset, and more than usual.

She was about to say something in response, but before her lips could open, a brown cloth was thrown over her head. She was blind for just a moment before tearing it from her face, and tossing a glare in Meno's direction. She looked at the brown in her hands, noticing in a less than a second that it was an apron. "It's only fair since you used this as an excuse to get out of fun time with Joo Dee." He snickered, and she tossed it back with more force than necessary.

"What about payment?" she asked, a wicked smirk forming on her lips when he frowned.

"You sound like my parents." He grimaced, "You might wanna be careful that the Bei Fong mentality doesn't wear off on you." She crossed her arms.

"Am I getting paid?" she demanded again.

"Fine! Average wage, now why don't you go help Lee." he sighed, and she gave him a radiant smile. Kana caught the apron as he threw it at her for the second time, before slipping it over her head. She turned on her heel, taking a tray from Iroh's waiting hands. There was a card on the tray stating which table to take it to, and with one final wink to Meno, she walked into the front of the tea house. When Zuko caught sight of her, she stuck her tongue out before walking over to her table.

They served anyone who came into the shop, almost making a competition of it, trying to wait on more people than the other. Suddenly, Kana had a sudden burst of inspiration, and with a sly smirk, she moved to the door of the tea house to 'water' the flowers outside. She cast a few shy smiles at the boys walking by before slipping back inside, a small horde following her, and requesting her as their server.

It was no coincidence that the amount of costumers increased every time she went outside to water these same flowers. They had a nice flow of people flowing in and out for the rest of the day until closing, marked by the sun dipping fully below the horizon. Kana ushered out the stragglers, then shut the door with a sigh. The work day was finally over.

"Would you like to come to the our apartment for some tea, Dewdrop?" Iroh asked, exiting the kitchen with Zuko and Meno in tow.

"We just worked in a tea house all day," Zuko snapped, making Kana snicker behind a hand, "we're sick of tea."

"I would love some, Mushi." she laughed, and Zuko's expression soured. "It's not as if we were drinking tea all day."

"A fact that I am eager to change!" Iroh gushed, clapping his hands together in delight, "Will you be joining us, Meno?"

"No," he yawned, "I have to get up early for the trip into the upper ring."

"See you tomorrow!" Kana called, and he tossed a wave back over his shoulder.

"Shall we get going?" Iroh asked, offering his arm with a beaming smile.

"Such a gentleman!" Kana laughed, taking his arm with her own, making Zuko roll his eyes in annoyance. They all walked out together, and as soon as they set foot outside, Kana felt a prickle on the back of her neck. She was being watched. She turned around, prepared to strike, but instead of someone out to rob seemingly defenseless tea serves, she was greeted with a lopsided grin.

"Jet!" she exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"I heard that an interesting girl with the most beautiful blue eyes was working down here," he said, and her cheeks flushed pink, "I figured I should come visit."

"I guess you didn't get the memo that it was closing time." Zuko stated, stepping forward slightly, causing an alarm bell to go off in her head. She placed a hand on his arm, and he set his jaw, but moved back next to his uncle nonetheless.

"Lee's right," she said, "I've already made plans with Mushi."

"Nonsense!" Iroh laughed, ignoring the tension in the air, "friends are a gift of life, you're more than welcome to join us for a spot of tea."

"That's nice of you, but-"

"But he'd love too." Kana cut in hastily, earning an amused smile from Jet, and an angry scowl from Zuko.

I guess, I'd love too." Jet chuckled, falling in step with Iroh, who was leading the way. "It's good to see you again, Lee."

"Like wise, Jet."

Kana's brows rose at the terse acknowledgement from the two boys, but simply shrugged it off. She wouldn't be able to pry until Iroh was distracted. She had missed an opportunity when she first learned that they knew each other, but had been to preoccupied to really question it. She should have thought inviting Jet along through before jumping at the opportunity to rectify the fact that she had left Jet hanging the other night. She had to hope the two didn't clash too much, and trust Iroh knew this, and wasn't just doing it to please - or possibly get under his nephews skin - Kana.

When the apartment complex came into view, she let her shoulders relax slightly. She was quickly led up a flight of stairs, and into a small living room, much like baby Hope's and Jet's. It wasn't cramped at the very least, even with the bit of furniture sitting around. It was rather dull, but the flowers made it a little lively. "It's nice." she said with a small smile.

"It's prison." Zuko snorted, pushing his way to a green cushion before plopping onto it, an amused smirk tugging on Kana's lips. She had never known Zuko to 'plop' anywhere.

"I have to agree," Jet said offhandedly, eyes roving over his surroundings. "The wall's definitely make it feel that way."

"You two are just complainers." Kana stated brushing off their complaints with a wave of her hand, sitting down next to Zuko when Iroh motioned for her too. Jet took a seat on her other side, and Iroh filled a pot with water, placing it on the stove, and reaching for the spark rocks. His hands rustled around for a second, and right as Kana was going to offer to light it for him, he pulled out the little black stones. He lit the stove, and as soon as the water started to boil, Iroh stood over the pot like a mother turtle duck, occasionally making lite conversation. It was boring, yet pleasant, and Kana was content with it.

She pushed both Jet and Zuko to speak, specifically to each other so she could gauge their reactions. As far as she could tell, there was nothing that could have warranted the tension in the room. She continued to probe gently, Iroh occasionally joining in, helping with her efforts. But even when the night was winding down, and it was time for her and Jet to leave, she had nothing. She gave a mental sigh, and Iroh a hug before backing away with a warm smile. "Thank you for inviting me over, Mushi."

"Anytime Dewdrop, it's always a pleasure to be in the company of a pretty girl." he grinned, making her laugh. She hesitated for a second before waving her hand towards Zuko, who sat there in surprised silence for a moment before raising his own in farewell. She and Jet left the apartment together, but went their separate ways as soon as they got outside. They said goodbye, and Kana gave him a small hug before snapping her gliders wings open, and taking to the air.

She went to the Garden district where Joo Dee had instructed her to go, and as soon as her feet touched the ground on Orchid road, a large grin split her face. Despite having spent the day with Zuko and Iroh, she was excited to see her friends again. She jogged forward, and as soon as she stepped on the porch, the door flung open.

"Thank the spirits you're here, Water Mama," Toph groaned, "you're the only one I can count on putting me out of my misery."

"Being in the city isn't that bad, Toph." Kana chuckled, walking into the house where everyone else sat slumped against giant pillows.

"We used to agree with you, Kana." Aang moaned.

"But that was before we had to spend the whole day with Joo Dee." Katara complained tiredly.

"It couldn't have been all bad." Kana said, trying to repress a snicker.

"Says the one who ran off to have fun all day with Meno." Toph snorted, making her huff.

"I worked all day in a tea shop, thank you very much!" she huffed indignantly, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, well we won't be able to see the Earth King for two months, so we got you beat." Sokka groaned, causing Kana's face to redden in anger.

"We what!?" she screeched, Momo leaping up from his perch on Aang's head in a frenzy.

"Whoa, Water Mama!" Toph warned, "We don't want a repeat of Gaoling!"

"That pompous _ass_!" Kana seethed, ignoring the fact that Toph and Aang were in the room, "I should just pull a Kyoshi and burst in there demanding his attention!"

"I would be all for that, except for the whole 'we need his help' thing." Sokka stated dryly, rolling his eyes. Kana opened her mouth to speak, but snapped it shut, taking a deep breath through the nose. Anger was bad, she had to think clearly.

"So what are we going to do?" Aang asked, eyes wide.

"We'll figure something out." Katara said soothingly, placing a calming hand on his shoulder. "But for tonight I think we should all get some rest. It's been a long day for all of us I'm sure."

"Well there's only four rooms, and I call not sharing." Toph said, hands on hips.

"That's fine, Kana and I can share, right Kana?" Katara asked with a warm smile.

QQQQQQQQQQ

Katara woke up with a yawn, the sun beating down on her closed eyelids. She pushed her face down into her pillow with a groan. She hated the mornings, and the fact that she had been getting up earlier than usual due to all the traveling she'd been doing. With a sigh of deep loathing, she peeled open her eyes, only to have thick mahogany hair obscure her vision.

She picked up her head in confusion only to find that the nook in Kana's back had been acting as her pillow. She blushed slightly, remembering how her gran-gran had told her that if she were to lay down next to somebody, they had better be prepared to cuddle. She shifted slightly, and the other girl's eye opened groggily, glaring. "What are you doing, Katara?" she growled.

"Nothing, it's morning." She responded, hands on hips.

"Mornings are evil." Kana moaned, burying her face in an actual pillow.

"Come on, if you get up I'll let you have my desert after dinner." Katara promised, standing, and offering her hand. Kana groaned before taking it, and pulling herself up. They dressed in silence, and exited the room, one going to the living room, the other heading for the front door.

Katara walked out side stretching and yawning once more, a blue jay singing in the distance. She grabed a roll of papers sticking out of the mail slot attached to the wall, scanning the contents quickly with her eyes. Eyes widening with delight, she gasped with excitement before running back inside. The others were all lounging around the upper part of the living room, Aang blowing puffs of air into Kana's face, trying to wake her up fully.

"This is it!" Katara announced loudly, Kana sitting up straight in surprise. "I know how we're gonna see the Earth King!"

"How are we supposed to do that?" Toph snorted before mimicking what Joo Dee had said the other day, "One doesn't just pop in on the Earth King."

"Well, the King is having a party at the palace tonight for his pet bear."

"You mean Platypus-Bear?" Aang asked.

"No, it just says 'Bear'."

"Certainly you mean his pet Skunk-Bear." Sokka said.

"Or his Armadillo-Bear." Toph added.

"Tiger-Bear?" Kana asked.

"Just...Bear". Katara said, staring at the paper in her hands.

"This place is weird." Toph stated, and after a moment where they all silently agreed, Katara began to speak again.

"The palace will be packed. We can sneak in with the crowd." Katara said happily.

"Won't work." Toph stated bluntly, lying down.

"Why not?" Katara asked grumpily at having her idea shut down so fast.

"Well, no offense to you simple country folk, but a real society crowd would spot you from a mile away. You've got no manners." Toph said grabing a pastry from a bowl next to her, and sticking it in her mouth.

"Excuse me? I've got no manners?" Katara snapped, hands on hips. "You're not exactly lady fancy fingers."

"I learned proper society behavior and chose to leave it." Toph snickered, throwing the half eaten pastry off to the side, earning a glare from Kana. "You never learned anything. And frankly, it's a little too late."

"Ah-Ha, but you learned it. You could teach us." Sokka pointed out.

"Yeah, I'm mastering every element. How hard could manners be?" Aang asked, grabbing a nearby curtain and draping it around himself like a noble's robe.

"I don't think that's helping your case, Aang." Kana said, making him pout.

"She's right Twinkle Toes." Toph said, "And besides Katara might be able to pull it off, and Kana already knows proper etiquette, but you and Sokka would be lucky to pass as busboys."

"But I wanted to feel fancy." Sokka complained, only to have all three girls snort at him.

Character questions answered 

_Zuko and Kana, when are you going to tell the other you LOVE them?_

Kana: Love Zuko? Ahahahaha, that's funny!

Zuko: Well I'm glad to know it's so ridiculous that you could love me!

Kana: What? It's as ridiculous as you loving me!

Zuko: Yeah whatever.

Kana: -_-

Zuko: -_=


	38. Chapter 17: City of Walls and Secrets P2

Legal Notice: too lazy to creatively say I don't own this :1

Chapter 17: City of Walls and Secrets (p2)

They were all walking down the street in the Lower Ring, Katara and Toph following Kana to the little dress shop she had gone to the first day she was here. Toph's arms were crossed as they made their way through the city, her chest puffed out, prepared to huff again. She thought it was a waste of time being in the lower city, but Kana already had a dress she could wear to the kings' party. There was no reason to waste money.

"The Lower Ring is so different from the others." Katara said with a sad frown.

"There's nothing wrong with different." Kana replied off handedly, taking a sharp turn down a side road. They were almost there, and once she retrieved her dress, they could go back to the Upper Ring and get the other two dresses.

"Actually, there is." Toph corrected, "If you two are going to act like proper Earth Kingdom nobles, you're going to have to get that through your heads. There is a difference, a big one, and you're obviously the better person for it."

"Toph, that's horrible!" Katara chided, angrily.

"No, that's the truth of being nobility. The only people who are worth your time are those who are either richer, or just as rich."

"She's right." Kana cut in as Katara opened her mouth to object. "You're just going to have to deal with it until after the Earth Kings party."

"That doesn't mean I have to like it." Katara huffed.

"Actually Sweetness, it does." Toph grinned, "Who wouldn't like to consider themselves better than others?"

"Well I wouldn't know about you three, but I know a certain annoying Waterbender who doesn't believe that."

"Meno!" Kana grinned, turning to see her friend. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying my hand at bartering, trying to fit in with the lower circle and all that." He said with a smirk, holding up one of his hands which had a bag hanging on it.

"How are you doing?" she asked with a knowing gleam in her eye.

"Horribly, actually." He chuckled, "I think it might be better if I stick to Upper Ring business."

There was a loud sound from behind, which Kana recognized as a throat being cleared in minor annoyance, making her blush before turning back to her friends. "Sorry, Katara. You remember Meno, right?"

"I certainly remember you." he purred before tugging at his collar as Kana tossed a glare his way.

"Manny, we're kind of busy here if you couldn't see." Toph said.

Meno just chuckled shaking his head in amusement, gaze traveling back to Kana's, with a curious glint in his eyes. "So what are you doing down here in the slums? Usually you'd be down at the tea shop with Lee and Mushi."

"Doing your job for you." She added for her friends benefits, but she knew her heart had thumped a little too fast when he mentioned Zuko, they couldn't find out about him. Meno just crossed his arms like she had back in the tea shop, meaning he wanted her to continue. It made her grin. "We're down here to pick up the dress I haddied."

"Why bring them?" he asked grinning at Katara.

"They're getting dresses too, the lady had very nice ones." Kana said, moving to continue her way to the shop.

"Toph willingly wearing a dress?" Meno laughed holding his belly, "I'm not stupid enough to believe that!"

"I'm not willingly doing anything, Manny, it's back to rules and being polite for me." Toph grumbled.

"And who could force my dear baby cousin back into that prison?" he snorted, trying to hold back the giggles.

"Lord Earthiness, who else?" she snapped back, crossing her arms. "We're sneaking into his party."

"Why, didn't you get his invitation?" he asked, drawing the group to a stop.

"What invitation?" Kana asked.

"This one." he said, pulling out a bright green card with the golden seal of the Bei Fongs. Kana snatched it from his fingers, scanning over it quickly, a smile lighting up her face.

"This says it's specifically from the Earth King, its an invitation for the entire Bei Fong family!" she said excitedly, eyes lighting up in delight.

"So what?" Meno snapped, grabbing it back from her, "You aren't part of the Bei Fong family."

"Oh I beg to differ, cousin. We are very much related, and you are taking us to that party."

"Why would I do that?" he asked incredulous, and all three girls put their hands on their hips, cocking a brow.

QQQQQQQQQQ

"I think we look wonderful." Kana said as she placed a final hair piece in Katara's hair. It was a good thing Hariti had taught her how to do this.

"I think we're going to stick out like a sore thumb." Toph snorted.

"Wasn't that the point?" Katara interjected standing, and smoothing a crease out of her blue dress. It was quite pretty, but not as pretty as Kana's. "We need to get the Earth King's attention somehow, and you said that we're young enough for it to be socially acceptable to wear these."

"It is, but I'm just saying. The Earth Kingdom nobility doesn't particularly like people who stand out with clothes. They prefer names."

"Well they're just going to have to deal, aren't they?" Kana laughed.

"For being royalty, and traveling the world, you really don't have a grasp of these things, do you Water Mama?"

"That," she drawled, tossing a wink at Katara since Toph was blind, "or I know how to manipulate it to a T."

"Yeah, but that would make you some sort of mad genius." Toph stated, making Kana sigh wistfully.

"Or I'd have had to learn from one." She murmured quietly, but Katara managed to hear it because of their close proximity.

"You know, Bumi?" she asked in surprise

"He and I were good friends." Kana commented matter-of-factly, moving on to her own hair. "I spent most of my time in the Earth Kingdom at Omashu, except of course when Aang had come to visit."

"I guess you and Aang have the same sort of friends." Katara noted, only managing to make Kana snort.

"You could say that, or you could say that the Air Nomads specifically put us in the same place, and introduced us to the same people."

"The Air Nomads don't sound like the kind of people to do that." Katara said with a frown.

"If it was any other nation I would say that they did it for power," Kana responded simply, "but since they weren't, it was most likely seen as 'guiding one to the right path, for the greater good'."

"Why not just let you pick your own friends, I mean, you're no Sugar Queen, but it's not like you're one to fall in with a bad crowd." Toph piped up.

"I did make my own friends; I guess you could say Aang was the one who didn't." Kana said slowly, careful of the way she worded what she was saying. "When I left, Aang was introduced to them, and you know how he is, everybody loves him."

"Except the Fire Nation, but they don't like anybody." Toph snorted, and Katara rolled her eyes.

"So Aang wasn't forced to make friends, he just did what came naturally." She said.

"You can look at it that way if you want, but who's to say they would have even met if the second Avatar didn't exist?"

"But wouldn't that mean you wouldn't exist?" Katara asked with a deep grimace.

"Water Mama not existing?" Toph sniffed, "Yeah right, she's too stubborn to not exist."

"There's not really any point thinking about it, I'm here now, and I'm going to make the most of it." Kana stated firmly.

"You sound exactly like Aang." Katara laughed.

"That's to be expected, wouldn't you say?" Kana teased jokingly, turning to the mirror to examine herself. The majority of the dress she wore was a pale icy blue, with only the trimming diverging from the solid color, lightening into a pure white. With Katara's dark blue, and Toph's yellow and orange, they were sure to stand out. "Are you two ready?"

"I suppose so," Katara said, fidgeting ever so slightly, "let's go meet the boys."

"Hold up Sweetness, noble women are suppose to be able to stop common folk like your brother and Twinkle Toes in their tracks." Toph stated, "If we can do that, it means we're ready."

"So what do you want us to do?" Katara asked, making Toph grin.

"Not us, you, Sugar Queen. Kana and I already know how to do it."

"Okay, than what do you want me to do?" she asked slightly annoyed.

"My cousin has the mentality of someone like Sokka, only trained in Earth Kingdom etiquette. Get his attention, it shouldn't be that hard if you're as pretty as they all say."

"Oh, I'm not that pretty." Katara muttered, blushing slightly.

"Don't be so modest." Kana laughed, "Spirits know I'm not!"

"Ha ha very funny, can we go know?" Toph asked, grabbing the door. When both Waterbenders nodded, they all snapped open their fans, sliding the door open.

The first thing Kana saw was Aang do a double take, before his face split up into a wide smile. "Wow Toph, you look great in Air Nomad colors!"

"Well don't get use to it Twinkle Toes, I'm only wearing this because Water Mama wants us to stand out." Toph snorted, angling her fan at him.

"Well you won't have any trouble with that, you look really nice!" he gushed, only to have Sokka flick him unexpectedly in the head. "Hey what was that for?"

"The game, remember?" Sokka snickered, making him blush slightly.

Katara opened her mouth to speak, only to have her lips covered by two fans immediately. "Don't talk to the commoners, Katara, first rule of society." Toph stated.

"We don't want you falling back into bad habits." Kana giggled, before nodding at the two boys. "We'll find a way to get you in the back."

"Good luck." Aang said in farewell, raising his hand. Katara offered a wave back as they made for the door, only to have Kana nudge her forward encouragingly. Meno was outside waiting.

"I don't think I can do this." Katara croaked, only to hear a snicker come from her two friends. It could also have been a giggle –they were acting like ladies, and ladies giggle– but when a tan hand snaked around her, sliding open the door, she froze.

Meno's head lolled up lazily, but as soon as he saw Katara, his back straightened, and he smirked. "Hey."

Kana felt a stitch form in her side, and before she knew it, she was doubled over in laughter. Sauntering over to Katara she threw an armaround her shoulder, and started to walk towards the palace. "See, we told you, you could do it!" she gasped, her friends face going red in a mixture of righteous indignation and humility.

"Wipe that dumb look off your face and come on, Manny," Toph yelled, "you have the invitation!"

"He's making an angry face, Toph." Kana said, with a grin.

"Still though, he's has our ticket in, SO HURRY UP!" she shouted back to her cousin, who just gave her a dirty look as he jogged to catch up.

"Not cool." He growled, making Kana stick her tongue out at him.

"I thought it was amusing." She laughed.

"Well I guess the surprise at the Earth Kings party will be rather amusing, too." He snorted.

"Surprise?" Kana asked, coming to a stop. "Meno, it's of vital importance that nothing goes wrong."

"Don't worry," he grinned, squeezing between Katara and her, slinging his own arm around the both of them. "Nothings going to happen to you ladies as long as I'm here."

"Yes, well while I'm certain you're eager to show us your mightiness, the only use we have for you is your invitation, not your surprises." Kana snapped.

"Oh, the cold ice of your words wounds me!" he cried dramatically, releasing both of the girls, and clutching at his heart.

"Stop being such a drama king, Manny," Toph commanded, "We're here."

The others automatically straightened at her words, stepping away from each other until they were an appropriate distance away. The moment they turned the corner, the palace lights shown as bright as a star, making all of them – except Toph – cover their eyes. They immediately got in line, she noticed Katara's overly stiff posture. The realization that out of all of them, only Katara never had to deal with the pressures of nobility, hit Kana like a raindrop of guilt. It was unfair of them to think she'd be fine in this environment.

"It makes me sick," Katara whispered after Kana had pressed the backs of their hands together in a comforting gesture, "how could people throw a partly like this when others are out there starving?"

"People want to be ignorant, otherwise they have to admit the nightmare is real."

"They only care about their happiness." She spat.

"Perhaps, but you have to remember there are more who don't." Kana murmured, entwining their fingers just long enough to give them a squeeze. Katara smiled gratefully before they reached the front of the line, where the guard demanded to see their invitations. Meno handed over a piece of paper, and the guard examined it carefully.

"An invitation from the Earth King himself allowing ant Bei Fong to pass," he growled, "do you have any proof of who you are?"

"I think this will be enough." Toph stated, nose in the air, as she pulled out the golden insignia of the Bei Fong house.

"And these two?" he asked, nodding at Katara and Kana.

"These are our cousins from the Water Tribe, they're visiting Ba Sing Se to see about good trading opportunities."

"It is not our custom to question our guests," a smooth voice said from behind them, "please allow me to apologize for this rudeness." Kana – and everyone else – turned to see who was addressing them. It was a man with black hair, hands folded in his sleeves that had spoken. She gave him a brilliant smile, seeing as the guard bowed before him, before speaking.

"There is no need, this is the Earth Kings party after all."

"I am glad you understand." He said with a slight bow, "My name is Long Feng, grand secretariat of Ba Sing Se. I did not know we would be entertaining foreign dignitaries from the Water Tribes."

"We're just traders," Katara jumped in quickly with a wide grin, "since our people have decided to join the war effort, open trade will soon commence. Our family believed we should get a head start."

"I see," Long Feng said blankly, "Come, we should not hold up the line anymore than we already have." Without another word, he turned away, and began to walk towards the sounds of the party. Everyone shared a glance before following him, quickly. When they entered the party, the loud music, and even brighter lights hammered on their senses.

"It has been an honor to meet the four of you, however I must see about business." Long Feng said, "Please excuse my presence, and not mention the war anymore, we do not the festivities to be soured by unpleasant talk."

"Of course, our apologies." Kana smiled, bowing. She waited until Long Feng was out of hearing distance before turning back to everyone.

"Toph and I'll let the boys in through the back," Katara whispered, "You two look for the Earth King."

"Keep a look out for your surprise." Meno breathed into Kana's ear, before stalking over to a group of unsuspecting girls.

"I swear to every spirit in the sky that your cousins end will be caused by a girl." She scowled, walking in the opposite direction. To be honest, she was looking more for her 'surprise', than the Earth King. Whatever it was, it could interfere with their plans.

It was sheer luck that she found her surprise rather than her friends. When she spotted it, all thoughts about why she was here in the first place vanished in a puff of smoke, her heart stopping. Her feet carried her towards it faster than a proper lady had any right going, forcing her into the shadows so no one would spot her. When she was behind her gift, she did a quick scan around to make sure nothing would spot her, before reaching out, and grabbing it by the collar.

Kana slammed him against a pillar out of sight with a snarl. "What are you doing here, Zuko?"

"Me, why are you here?" he growled back, smacking her hand away.

"I'm the Avatar, this is the Earth Kings party, I'm suppose to be here!" she hissed quietly, "You're the prince of the Fire Nation, the third most hated person in the world!"

"No, I'm Lee of the Earth Kingdom." He spat; shoving the metal tray she hadn't noticed him carrying into her stomach. "Lowly servant whose uncle just so happens to make the best tea in all of Ba Sing Se."

"You shouldn't be here, Zuko." She whispered.

"Why, because I have to tiptoe around, and do what you want?" he growled, and she took a step back, unable to hide the hurt look on her face fast enough.

"I have never given you a reason to feel that way, at least not why you were doing things that didn't involve, thievery or hunting a thirteen year old boy." She bit out harshly, "And the reason youshouldn't be here is because-"

A high pitch scream echoed throughout the banquet hall, making Kana blink in surprise. A low whisper started up in the crowd, growing in volume until it reached Zuko's and her ears. "The Avatar is here."

Zuko's face twisted, and he stepped purposefully out of the shadows, until dragged back by Kana. "Please, don't." she begged.

He stared down at her for a moment, before jerking his face away. "I'm going back to the kitchens to help Uncle with the tea." He said gruffly, turning and walking away. She watched him go, running a hand across her face. She let out a sigh, twirling around, and slamming her foot into a pair of rock gloves soaring straight at her.

"Long Feng wishes to speak to you about your presence here, Miss Bei Fong." A voice droned from the shadows, "You can either come by your own volition, or we can take you."

"You should be more polite," she laughed, giving a feral grin, lips picking up and exposing the canine teeth that all Water Tribe people had from the centuries of eating hard meat. "And not pick fights against your betters."

Four men stepped from the shadows, forming a box around her. "I don't believe you should be making threats Miss Bei Fong." The same man said.

"Or what?" she challenged, and she heard them snicker.

"That boy you were talking too, how would you like it if he was no longer allowed inside Ba Sing Se's walls, safe from the war?"

She shrugged indifferently; it would probably be best if he did leave. Safer too, for the both of them. "Anything else to bargain with?"

"We have the Avatar." Another person said, and her eyes focused on him. She stared at him, unblinking, a cold darkness resting over her face.

"I will kill all of you." She stated blandly, and a bead of sweat formed over the man's brow, before she turned back to the person who had originally spoken. "Take me to him, now."

"Right this way Miss Bei Fong." He said bowing, and walking away, Kana following closely. She was led towards the corner of the dining hall, where she noted Dai Lee agents surrounded her friends.

"You okay, Water Mama?" Toph asked, and she nodded. "Great, now I don't get to crush anyone."

"I'm glad my well being means so much to you." Kana draws sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"No problem." Toph grinned, shrugging her shoulders before a man cleared his throat. Not just any man though, Long Feng.

"If you would please follow me, a private conversation in my office will not be over heard." Everyone glanced at each other, wary of this man they barely knew, and his oily voice. With every second that ticked pass, the Dai Lee agents in her closer, ready for a struggle. Katara let out a sigh, nodding.

"We'll go with you."

"Very good, please follow me." They did, the Dai Lee boxing them in as they walked down a long hall, coming to an end at a semi impressive door. Long Feng opened it, and ushered them inside, the guards taking positions outside before it was shut.

The first thing Kana saw was the green glow of the fire, and she was suddenly back in the desert reading. She could feel the soft pressure in her robe from the book that Wan Shi Tong had given to her, and mentally flipped through the pages. Green fire meant greed.

As Kana's eyes roved over the fine silks of Long Fengs cloths, the golden buttons on his robes, and the mahogany wood work of his desk, that was the most adequate fire he could have burning. He attempted to justify what he had done, practically brain washing the Earth King, but they were only excuses for the obvious power grab. Everyone garages him with questions and accusations, but she just stayed silent while taking in his words.

When Joo Dee was brought in, a new face with an old name, her friends reacted with horror. Kana's nose simply flared, but she was certain nothing bad had happened to the other woman. She quietly left when escorted out, one thought on her mind. Both Long Feng, and the Dai Lee had to go.

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**I'm so sorry that it took me this long to update, but this came from the fact that I had to redo the chapter, upon the fact that I shall be rewriting chapters 1, 2, and 10. You don't have to reread them neccesarily, because only chapter 10 changes the story line. It basically is just that Kana arrives AFTER the Gaang, so the dam has been blown. Therefore, they know who Jet is. **


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